Italy Suspects Possible Russian Attempt To Influence Its Elections
Russia may try to influence Italy's general election next year. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated this on Wednesday, ANSA reports, according to UATV English. Upon arriving at the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Wicklow, Ireland, Tajani said that possible Russian interference is a common problem affecting the entire European Union, noting that attempts to influence…
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed concerns on Wednesday that Russia may attempt to influence Italy's upcoming general election, according to ANSA reports via UATV English. During a gathering of EU foreign ministers in Wicklow, Ireland, Tajani highlighted that such interference could potentially occur in any EU country holding elections.
He firmly stated that attempts to manipulate democratic processes are unacceptable and emphasized the need for vigilance, particularly with Italy not at war with Russia. Tajani informed that Italy has recently established a dedicated department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focusing on security aspects, including a 24/7 operations center to counter cyberattacks on diplomatic missions and the Ministry itself, which he suspects are orchestrated by Russian hackers.
He also recalled a malware attack on the Italian Foreign Ministry website during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's inaugural visit to Italy. While Tajani affirmed Italy's support for Ukraine in providing additional air defense assets, he stressed the need to address potential legal issues before proceeding. The minister clarified that the EU and other international bodies have previously deliberated this matter, yet no resolution was reached due to legal considerations.
Written by urgent.news from UATV English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
