On 20 January, a propaganda event is planned to be held in the Italian city of Modena, claiming that Mariupol is allegedly undergoing a "rapid recovery process" after the occupation by Russia.
What is known about Mariupol propaganda exhibition
The announcement of the event, which is to take place in the Italian city of Modena on 20 January, was posted on Facebook. The description of the exhibition contains typical propaganda narratives, including the "rapid recovery process" after the capture of Mariupol by Russian troops.
The exhibition and conference is organised by the cultural association 'Russia Emilia Romagna'. The organisers promise to show the "results of the work of the new city administration" after the occupation of Mariupol.
The event is scheduled to feature speeches by the president of the association, Luca Rossi, the Consul General of Russia, Dmitriy Shtodin, the Italian representative of the international Russophile movement, Eliseo Bertolasi, and "independent journalist" Andrea Lucidi.
Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted to exhibition in Italy about Mariupol
Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Ukraine, Oleg Nikolenko, said that the exhibition in Modena about the "prosperity" of Mariupol under Russian occupation was a provocation.
The MFA has already instructed the Embassy of Ukraine in Rome to prepare an official appeal.
At the official level, Italy strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. And we expect that there will be an appropriate reaction to this propaganda event, Nikolenko added.
Ukrainian social media communities in Italy are calling on the local authorities to prevent such an exhibition.
