Zakharova continues her attack on President Sergio Mattarella in the third episode. This time, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson chose to take her criticism to social media rather than through words, which have become repetitive. Moscow claims that Mattarella’s “blasphemous” statements – allegedly equating Russia to the Third Reich – have sparked a reaction from 20,000 Italian citizens who have signed a petition condemning the President’s thoughts. The petition was delivered by journalist Vincenzo Lorusso, who resides in Dombass.
In a more recent development, Zakharova shared a video on Telegram, where she can be seen crying while reminiscing about Mattarella’s words and ends the video by singing the iconic Resistance song, “Bella Ciao.” She explained in the video, “Today, with my tears speaking louder than words, I want to express all the pain of our people after hearing this statement.”
After wiping her tears away, Lorusso explains that “these signatures are against Mattarella’s statements, and they are just the tip of the iceberg of three years of Russophobia, three years of discrimination against Russians.” Zakharova emphasizes that over 20,000 people have already signed the apology to the Russian Federation and the Russian people. She also highlights Italy’s remembrance of the Soviet Union’s achievement and the significant contribution of its people to the Victory, as well as their powerful partisan movement in which thousands of Soviet heroes fought alongside Italian comrades against fascism.
Lorusso, a long-time resident of Dombass known for his pro-Russian stance, is described by Tass as an “Italian journalist and activist living in Lugansk who reports on life in Donbass.” Despite the repeated attacks from Zakharova, the Quirinale and the Italian government maintain their stance of reserve and serenity. Mattarella indirectly responded to Zakharova during his recent visit to Montenegro, stating, “The world we envision is one that respects international law,” when asked about the continuous attacks from the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
Who is Lorusso, the pro-Russian journalist reporting on Donbass
“Journalist for International Reporters news agency and author of the Donbass Italia Telegram channel.” This is how Maria Zakharova defines Vincenzo Lorusso, who presented thousands of signatures from his fellow countrymen to condemn Sergio Mattarella’s recent remarks on Russia. Tass describes him as an “Italian journalist and activist living in Lugansk who reports on life in Donbass.”
Lorusso’s pro-Russian inclination is evident from his posts, such as when he welcomed Putin’s recognition of the sovereignty and independence of the Lugansk People’s Republic, which was later annexed to the Russian Federation along with Donetsk and other Ukrainian regions. His page also links to a website, donbassitalia.it, providing “independent and uncensored information on Russia and Donbass,” covering content that mainstream Italian media may not reveal, including translated documentaries, news, and interviews.
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