The Russian Federation flag flying from the Bastione Saint Remy in Cagliari. This is the scene many citizens witnessed on October 13, when the Kremlin flag appeared on one of the city's most important historical and civic symbols. The incident sparked surprise and concern, and is being hailed as the first pro-Russian demonstration in Italy since 2022, the year in which, following the invasion of Ukraine, European institutions banned all forms of pro-Putin propaganda within the Union.
The Tonino Pascali – Sardegna Radicale and Europa Radicale associations have expressed their strong condemnation and called for an immediate response from institutions and political parties. The action, according to the associations, appears to be a direct reaction to the publication of the dossier documenting the spread of pro-Russian initiatives, events, and disinformation channels in Italy, identifying Sardinia as one of the most exposed regions.
The dossier, based on public and verifiable sources, specifically highlights the dissemination of content attributable to Russia Today and Sputnik, both banned in the European Union for their role as tools of information warfare for the Moscow regime.
" It is unacceptable that a monument that is a symbol of the city should become a propaganda platform for a regime that denies freedom and truth," the associations declared. "Sardinian and national institutions must express their views unambiguously ."
The Tonino Pascali – Sardegna Radicale and Europa Radicale associations therefore call on the mayor of Cagliari, the President of the Sardinia Region, and all political forces to take a clear and unequivocal position on what happened , in defense of the European, democratic, and freedom-based values on which the Italian Republic and the European Union are founded. The mayor of Cagliari assured that the demonstration was "unauthorized," so much so that the flag was "immediately removed."
(Unioneonline/vf)