Guerini: “Also provide Kiev with weapons to neutralize the positions from which the Russians bomb”. M5s: “Alarming Words”

Italy has also supplied Ukraine with weapons to hit the positions from where the Russian bombs leave. She explained it Lorenzo Gueriniheard before the joint defense commissions of Senate e Camera. “On the basis of what is indicated by the law and in relation to the evolution on the ground, the Italian commitment will continue to support Ukraine in its defense from Russian aggression also with devices capable of neutralize the locations from which Russia indiscriminately bombs cities and the civilian population ”, explained the Ministry of Defense. Words that provoked controversygiven that the Ministry of Defense had to intervene to clarify that the minister was referring to “ammunition a very short range functional for the sole defensive purpose and to protect cities and citizens “.

M5s: “Draghi come to Parliament” – A clarification that seems almost an excusatio non petita. And indeed Giuseppe Brescia, coordinator of the M5S Security Committee, attacks Guerini’s words defining them as “alarming, so much so that a clarification by the Ministry in the press is necessary”. “Unfortunately – says the exponent of the 5 stars – we continue to hear too much about weapons and little about negotiations. The Government needs to clarify if we are working on a military escalation or a diplomatic escalation aimed at stopping the war. We are also opposed to the position expressed by the Minister, when he says that the negotiations can only really start after the ceasefire. If we wait for the last bomb to negotiate there will be nothing left, it will just be carnage. On the contrary, we need today more than ever a constant commitment from Italy to work 24 hours a day for a diplomatic solution that will stop the war ”. Brescia has therefore returned to ask the premier Mario Draghi to “come to the Chambers to clearly explain the Italian position, also in view of the next international meetings”. The meaning of the comment by Giuseppe Conte, who said he was “very worried” about the expression used by Guerini, even if he later acknowledged that the minister had “partially corrected it because taken as it was spread is worrying because it means that we are willing to destroy Russian positions in Russian territory but I have to give Guerini the right to make a clarification that I consider necessary “. Speaking to Obverse and Reverse on Rete4. The 5-star leader then went back to asking Draghi to come to Parliament: “We need to have a political direction. There is a lot of talk about weapons, we are against sending more and more lethal weapons, but beware the real issue is the political direction. What are Italy’s positions and what are you relying on with your allies? “.

The minister: “Risk of using nuclear weapons from Moscow” – In the rest of his hearing Guerini also commented on the possibility that Vladimir Putin resort to the use of nuclear weapons: “We are aware that the Russian military doctrine provides for the possible use of tactical nuclear devices in the event of an operational standstill and for this reason the Atlantic alliance monitors with great attention all the activities related to the Russian nuclear readiness. We observe a certain activism, there are exercises in progress, but the reading that is given is that this activism is related to a strategic communication use of the nuclear threat, ”the minister argued. Which he then defined as “possible, and in part it is already happening, that the conflict escalates further in the coming days, given the presumed objective of achieving tangible results on the Russian side by the symbolic date of 9 May “.

The minister’s hearing – Regarding the Italian contribution in war material to Ukraine, Guerini said that “it concerns anti-tank systems, very short range air defense systems, mortars, artillery ammunition, communication systems, personal protective equipment and survival kits. Our commitment – underlined Guerini – which, in full consistency with the parliamentary resolutions approved on 1 March last, is developing in a coordinated way with the others. European countries and allies, with whom we share the analyzes on the measures taken and to be adopted. Together, in the sign of cohesion and unity of purpose, we take on our responsibility, not turning our backs on a people victim of unjustifiable military aggression“. The resolutions authorize the Government until December 31 of this year to transfer military means, materials and equipment to the governmental authorities of Ukraine. Consequently, the minister recalled, “two inter-ministerial decrees were prepared, signed by the ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs and the Economy, which defined the types and quantities of military apparatuses and instruments to support and consolidate the defensive effort of the Ukraine”.

At a strategic level, Guerini argued that the Russian offensive in Ukraine “cannot be clearly defined both in terms of short-term operational results and final objectives. The latter, in fact, could be revised on the basis of the resistance capacity of Ukraine or expanded if it were to collapse, with potential expansion of Russian occupation up to Odessa, to deny Ukraine access to the Black Sea ”. At the political level, however, the minister said that “Russia, already today, must take note of the results of the military campaign and rethink her posture with respect to the international community to favor negotiation activities. Knowing that there is no real negotiation that can start, without a real one cease-firewithout the Russians stop bombing ”.

–