More Russian propaganda on Italian vehicles. Over the past days, the Russian Embassy in Italy sought to smear the image of its host country by repeatedly casting doubts over the nature, quality and effectiveness of Italian military supplies to Ukraine.
- The second-to-last post of this nature appeared on Friday and claimed to show an Italian-made armoured vehicle. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto pushed back against the “obvious fake news,” noting that the subject was not an Iveco Lince 4×4 vehicle (as the post claimed) but an MLS Shield.
- On Tuesday, the Russian Embassy posted another video showing a vehicle in flames. “For the Russian military who shot this video, it makes no difference which Italian military vehicles are burning near Soledar: Iveco 4×4 or MLS Shield. They burn in more or less the same way,” it reads.
However, as reported by numerous sources, it’s not just the Ukrainian Armed Forces who possess Italian-made vehicles. The Russian army also has hundreds of Iveco Lince 4×4 under an old contract, which was cancelled in 2013. The Italian vehicle, which was also purchased by many other nations, was preferred to the domestic GAZ Tigr product.
Meanwhile, Italy readies more military aid. Repubblica reported the sixth weapons decree is ready and will likely be approved in the coming days. As is standard, Minister Crosetto will illustrate its contents (which are classified) to Parliament’s Intelligence Committee, COPASIR.
- Still, it’s common knowledge the next military aid package will contain air defence systems, namely the Aspide surface-to-air missiles, which are useful for defending a city from the barrages of Russian missiles.
- As for the more advanced SAMP/T missile shield, the issue is technically more intricate, as some components will be supplied by Rome and others by Paris. Nevertheless, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani recently confirmed the Italian government is “working intensively with the French” to ensure deliveries.
