Italy expels two Russian embassy staff over spying case
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the two diplomats must leave within three days as prosecutors investigate classified-information leaks involving five other suspects.
- On Thursday, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced Italy's expulsion of two Russian military attaches from the Russian Embassy in Rome: Ivan Petrovich Gorbachev and Mikhail Vasilyevich Astakhov must leave within three days.
- Earlier this week, prosecutors detained two former Italian intelligence officers and Carabinieri members, Gavino Raoul Piras and Vincenzo Di Pasquale, suspected of passing classified national security information to an alleged Russian agent.
- Five other suspects are named in the case, including four military personnel accused of gathering state secrets and political or military espionage. The widening probe reveals the scope of the alleged espionage ring.
- Russia's Foreign Ministry stated it would give an "appropriate response" to the expulsion, signaling likely reciprocal measures against Italian personnel stationed in Moscow as diplomatic tensions escalate.
- Tajani said Moscow continued to employ "hybrid tools" against Italy and the West, describing this as "serious and unacceptable interference" that threatens national security.
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They are suspected of having transmitted sensitive information on military aid to Ukraine to Moscow. Rome denounces "serious and unacceptable interference" and gives three days to the two diplomats targeted to leave the country.
The Italian government has decided to expel two military attachés from the Russian embassy. This was written by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on X. According to Tajani, the two were involved in espionage activities. These came to light during an investigation by the Public Prosecutor's Office in Rome. The individuals in question are reportedly Ivan Petrovich Gorbachev and Mikhail Vasilievich Astakhov. They must leave Rome within three…
The Italian Government has decided to expel two military personnel from the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Italy, responsible for the espionage activities that emerged in the investigation of the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Rome. The Secretary-General of the Farnesina has just informed the Russian ambassador in Rome that Ivan Petrovich Gorbachev and Mikhail Vasilyevich Astakhov must leave Rome within 3 days. Decision that…
The Italian Foreign Minister is not there, and he talks about "sold"
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