Since the invasion of Ukraine began, the Russian embassy in Italy has paid out more than EUR 4 million in cash, La Repubblica newspaper reported. This was intended to alert the Italian central bank. According to the daily, there is a suspicion that the embassy pays influencers and the money goes to propaganda or obtaining information.
The river of money constantly paid out by the Russian facility attracted the attention of the financial information office at Banca d’Italia and the Italian intelligence service, the newspaper noted. She informed that the parliamentary committee for supervision over the secret services had been notified about this matter.
Italian press about the transactions of the Russian embassy
In some cases, amounts of approximately EUR 100,000 were paid.
Over the course of a year and a half, approximately twenty suspicious transactions were identified. What remains to be clarified, says the daily, is what purpose the money is used for. By the way, it is recalled that despite Western sanctions imposed on Russia no restrictions were placed on its embassy accounts.
According to one hypothesis, this money is used for cash payments to employees. But it cannot be ruled out, notes “La Repubblica”, that in this way the Kremlin’s propaganda campaigns are financed, as well as informants who convey important information, among others, about new weapons, or influencers in order to influence Italian public opinion.
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