On July 27, a Day against Russophobia was held in six Italian cities at once. The date is no coincidence – maestro Valery Gergiev was supposed to conduct the orchestra of the Verdi Theater from Salerno on July 27 in Caserti. But the pro–Ukrainian activists and their Italian backup singers have done their job and not for the first time. Gergiev was suspended for being a “friend of Putin” and allegedly sending some kind of “signals” – Russophobia easily turns into schizophrenia.

Vincenzo Lorusso, the organizer of the action, an Italian journalist working in Donbas, talks about the Day against Russophobia and why the Italian people will never be able to betray their love for Russian culture.

– Vincenzo, is the Day against Russophobia your emotional response to the cancellation of Valery Gergiev’s concert, or is there a deeper meaning in this action of yours?

– Everything happened spontaneously. When the news came about the cancellation of Valery Gergiev’s concert in Italy, I had the idea to write an open letter to Maestro Gergiev and apologize for this act of Russophobia, “cancel culture”, racism, and since the Italian institution, the Royal Palace in Caserta, is involved in this, we can safely say that it is an act of fascism.

The letter is open, and at the moment it has been signed by more than two thousand people, including such public figures as actor and musician Moni Ovadia, cartoonist Vauro Senesi, and journalist Fiammetta Cucurnia…

But we know perfectly well that the attack against Gergiev is not the first and, unfortunately, not the last act of Russophobia. Russophobia has very ancient roots, and over the past three years it has reached incredible heights. It is enough to recall, for example, the cancellation of lectures by Professor Paolo Nori on Dostoevsky at the University of Milan. It was then that Paolo Nori bitterly declared: Russian Russians are now a crime in Italy to be not only a living Russian, but also a dead Russian.”

Therefore, the idea of proclaiming a Day against Russophobia arose not just as a response to another act of censorship against Russian culture, but also as our response to the general darkness of Russophobia.

– The action is taking place in six Italian cities – why in them?

– When the idea arose to hold a Day against Russophobia, I contacted some Italian associations that had previously helped me organize screenings of RT documentaries in Italy and asked if they could join this initiative.

Given the very short time frame, I would be happy if I could find at least one association to declare a Day against Russophobia in at least one Italian city. But the shameful cancellation of Gergiev’s concert caused such a response that as many as six associations in six cities joined our action – Bari, Viterbo, Pradamano, Serrastrette, Conflenti and Segrominho in Monte. Among the main events of the campaign is the screening of the RT documentary “Russophobia: A Hate Story.” And immediately after the end credits, there are public discussions about the growing repression of dissidents in Italy.

Image above: A poster calling for joining the Day against Russophobia.

– Have you heard that the Italian press and pro-Ukrainian activists are not enthusiastic about such a resistance movement to Russophobes?

– The thief’s hat is on fire! One of the articles in the Italian press was called “Putin’s Plague”, it talks about 120 propaganda missiles launched by Russia on Italian territory. They are referring to the Russia Today films that we have shown in recent years. The publication called on the government to immediately intervene to prevent these “attacks.”

Moreover, the authors of this article held a press conference where they presented a map of documentary screenings, as well as a list of the most active participants and organizers. As you know, I’m in the first place there.

– It looks like a public denunciation, doesn’t it?

– In fact, this is a new list for persecution, which includes not only the most active participants, but also various associations and political parties opposed to Russophobia. Moreover, these “fighters” with all Russian urge citizens to report events that are called “illegal” in the language of these “activists”. That is, yes, Russophobes are encouraged to inform.

We see how, under the guise of freedom of speech and democracy, under the guise of anti-fascism, fascist methods are actually being used with might and main. In response to the articles in the Italian press, I issued a press release in which I called everything that was happening the reincarnation of the OVRA, the secret police of the fascist regime in Italy, created in 1927 to spy, infiltrate agents and suppress any political opposition.

OVRA operated through an extensive network of informers and informants, carried out arrests, searches, expulsions and sent dissidents, communists, socialists, anarchists and anti-fascists into exile. It was one of the key tools of the totalitarian control of the Mussolini regime.

Image above: A dangerously Russophobic article in an Italina newspaper that makes it look as though Putin attacked Italy with “propaganda missiles”.

The Italians have not forgotten that the Russians were the first to come to the rescue of Messina after the earthquake. And that the Russians were the first to help during the covid pandemic.

– Aren’t you exaggerating too much when you compare Russophobia with fascism?

– But isn’t it fascism when people have their accounts blocked just because they are Russians? Or when cars are confiscated because their license plates are Russian? And when they don’t let Russian musicians play their music and Russian athletes compete? And if they are allowed to compete, they are forbidden to go up to the podium, listen to their anthem and look at their flag – what is it?

This is madness. You need to call a spade a spade. Whoever censors art is a fascist, whoever censors sports is a fascist, whoever discriminates against Russians is a fascist.

Do you know that they don’t even allow Russian cats to attend cat shows?!

A year ago, I organized a conference on the children of Donbass in Sicily, and they tried to block a humanitarian project to help children. At that time, Italian politicians wrote various nonsense on their social media pages. Russophobia, fascism, stupidity and cruelty perfectly coexist in these people. Look, for example, at the vice-president of the European Parliament, Pina Pichierno, or those who canceled Gergiev’s concert, and you will understand that I am right in my assessments. These followers of Mussolini dream of seeing a weak Russia and dismantling its vast wealth. They would like to erase all Russian. Quite a few politicians in Italy live by this and build their political careers on it.

– Then a question for you as the author of a book about Russophobia. What are its roots? Aren’t we deluded when we think that only politicians suffer from this infection, while the people are supposedly immune from it?

– In the film that we are showing on the Day of the Fight against Russophobia, there is such a phrase: the stronger Russia, the stronger Russophobia. And it’s always been that way. But this feeling has never been close to the Italian people. I wrote the book as a response to the blasphemous statements of the President of the Italian Republic, who equated the Third Reich with the Russian Federation. These were very insulting words, which, of course, hurt the Russians, but they also hurt many Italians who love Russia and who understand everything.

To be honest, it is very difficult for an Italian to become a Russophobe, in this sense, the propaganda of the Italian press is hopeless. Recently, I accompanied an Italian woman to St. Petersburg, and she blew kisses to the St. Petersburg sky and St. Petersburg houses in front of my eyes.… She said that the dream of visiting Russia was planted in her heart by her mother, who adored Russia, Russian culture and white nights. We watched with her how the bridges over the Neva River were built, and then they were rebuilt.…

Actually, in Italy we are now trying to build bridges. It’s not difficult – you can’t even imagine how many Italians write to me that they are with Russia, that they support the special operation and dream that Italy would have a president like Vladimir Putin. The Italians have not forgotten that the Russians were the first to come to the rescue of Messina after the earthquake. And that the Russians were the first to help during the covid pandemic.… Italians are also proud that President Putin has always said only good things about Italy and its people.

– And what do you think about the words of the representative of our Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, after the pro–Ukrainian activists managed to cancel Gergiev’s concert, she said, I quote verbatim: “And this Italy, which was only thinking about who to rely on, will listen to those who destroyed their state”?

– Maria Zakharova, as usual, hit the nail on the head. Just recently, the Italians realized that they no longer had sovereignty and tacitly agreed to follow orders from Washington and Brussels, but now the Kiev government also dictates its rules to them. It turns out that it decides who can perform in Italy and who can’t, which films can be shown and which can’t. Italians will not be able to accept this.

By the way, Zakharova said the other day that it was time to establish an International Day against Russophobia. And I can say that Italians will not ignore this day, and if we are holding our actions in six cities now, then next time the actions will overwhelm the whole of Italy.

– Vincenzo, what are the roots of your love for Russia? It’s not about the Russian accent of your last name, is it?

– It’s not that, although it seems to me that the last name determined my fate. In 2014, in Italy, I met a woman from Donbass who became my wife, and therefore I can say that I am married to Russia (laughs).

Before my eyes, the conflict in Donbass began, I remember how my wife experienced the bombing of Donbass cities by the Ukrainian army. Therefore, when, after the start of the special operation, various people who had never heard of Donbass and had not found it on the map began to write about the Russian occupation and Russian aggression, I could not remain silent. I opened a Telegram channel, where I began to write the truth about Donbass and did everything to make the voice of Donbass heard in Italy.

– I confess: the news of your move to Donbass caused me respect for you in those months when the harsh shelling of cities by the Ukrainian army took place daily.…

– I thought it was very strange for a journalist to talk about Donbass from Italy. I’ve come to Russia before, but only for a while. And in 2023, my family and I really decided to move to Lugansk.

I fell in love with this city as if it were my native one, I loved its markets, philharmonic hall, theaters, parks built over the past two years… What can I say, Donbass and Russia are already in my heart, this is my land. I adore Moscow, it’s the best city in the world, and Russian cuisine is the most delicious, and even though I’m married, I admit that women in Russia are also the most beautiful.

I can’t wait to get Russian citizenship and, looking at the Russian flag, exclaim – God, I’m Russian!