Italy has become one of the main targets of Russia’s hybrid warfare, according to the country’s Defense Minister, Guido Crosetto, as reported by ilsole24ore.
He stated that Russia is conducting a large-scale cognitive and informational attack on Europe, using propaganda, social media, and corruption schemes to undermine stability and influence public opinion.
In his upcoming book Finimondo, set to be published on October 30, Crosetto notes that “unsuspecting Italians were corrupted by Russia.” The minister clarifies that this is not about moral corruption, but systemic infiltration—Russia has managed to embed its narratives into Italian society and culture, influencing people through information technologies and bribery.
According to Crosetto, Italy is one of the most vulnerable countries in Europe to internal penetration by Russia and other hostile states. He claims that Italy is currently the primary target of destabilization attempts, as it remains the only stable country in the EU.
The minister noted that no other EU country has faced as many provocations, demonstrations, and internal conflicts as Italy. He attributes this to active hybrid operations aimed against the government of Giorgia Meloni.
Crosetto also spoke about Russia’s war against Ukraine, emphasizing that Vladimir Putin has no intention of retreating and cannot enter negotiations, having amended the constitution and effectively cemented Russia’s hold on occupied territories. According to him, returning the lands seized since 2014 is currently impossible: Moscow will not relinquish them, and Ukraine cannot recover them even with Western support. The minister stressed that any decision on potential concessions rests solely with Kyiv, as Ukrainians must choose between continuing the war or losing part of their territory. Crosetto reminded that hundreds of thousands have already died in the conflict—about 520,000 Ukrainians and over a million Russians—while Russian society remains largely unaware of the scale of its losses.
