Italy: Government accuses Wagner of using migrants to punish countries that support Ukraine

Her defense minister ItalyGuido Crosetto, accused yesterday Monday (13/3) of Russian company mercenaries Wagner how it plays a role in the increase of immigrants flows to Europe to punish, according to him, its member states EU who support her Ukraine.

“The exponential growth of the migration phenomenon from African shores is due in part, not insignificantly, to a clear hybrid warfare strategy of the group Wagner which uses its considerable weight in African countries”Mr Croceto, the defense minister of Italy’s far-right coalition government, said in a statement.

“Just as the EU, NATO and the West realized that cyber-attacks are part of the global conflict opened by the war in Ukraine, it must now be realized that on the southern European front, the situation is becoming more and more dangerous every day”he continued.

He warned that the “uncontrolled and continuous migration has become a means to hit the most exposed countries, primarily Italy” for their “geostrategic choices”.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani appeared to echo this position on Monday, on the sidelines of his visit to Israel, pointing out that “many migrants” are arriving on Italian shores “from zones controlled by the Wagner group”.

The far-right alliance prevailed in September’s elections in Italy with a decidedly anti-immigration line. The head of the Brothers of Italy (FdI) Giorgia Meloni is now the country’s prime minister.

Italy, a member of the EU and NATO, has been providing support to Kiev, including military aid, since the start of the Russian army’s invasion of Ukrainian territory in February 2022.

Since the start of the year, more than 20,000 refugees and migrants have landed in Italy, compared to around 6,000 in the corresponding time periods of 2022 and 2021, according to figures from the interior ministry in Rome. Most depart from the coasts of northern African countries, boarding often less than seaworthy vessels, at the risk of their lives.

The Russian private military company Wagner, whose founder Yevgeny Prigozhin is said to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is at the forefront of the war in Ukraine, while also operating in African countries, notably the Central African Republic and Mali . Its mercenaries have also operated in Libya.

Prigozhin’s response

Reacting to the statements of the Italian Minister of Defense, Prigozhin, in his message – laced with insults – through the Telegram platform, countered that “we have no idea what’s going on with the migration crisis, we don’t deal with it”and invited Mr. Crosetto to attend to the affairs of his country.

The Italian government has been in a difficult position since the sinking of a migrant boat in Calabria last month, when at least 79 people died, especially after it was alleged that the reaction of the Italian authorities to the tragedy was too slow.

On Sunday, after another shipwreck leaving Libya, the non-governmental organization Alarm Phone complained that the Italian coast guard was not mobilized in time, despite repeated warnings and calls to rescue people in danger.