"An alarming signal of US intelligence regarding a Russian attack aimed at influencing Italian politics sounded in the autumn of 2016, that is, much earlier than Moscow's operations became known to influence the American elections," the New York correspondent of the Italian newspaper reports. La Stampa Paolo Castro. Washington was so worried that the State Department sent a mission to Rome to report the danger to colleagues in the US embassy, ??the author. "The goal was to discuss not the fact that the Kremlin is trying to manipulate the Italian political scene, but the reaction to a real and ongoing attack," reads the article.
"American intelligence agencies and diplomats noticed a scheme that was repeated almost everywhere," the journalist informs.. - Wherever elections took place, false news, propaganda actions, political groups that contributed to Russia's interests or sought to destabilize countries distancing from Moscow began to spread. This trend began in Eastern Europe, but it quickly spread to the Balkans and the rest of the continent ". Italy, the author writes, was the logical goal of this strategy, in part because of historical economic ties with Russia, in part because of its weakness. And she was really attacked.
"The evidence brought to Rome by the mission of the State Department was specific, but it is impossible to disclose them without violating the law," continues Mastrollyly. - As potential points of intersection in Italy were, above all, indicated "Movement of 5 stars" and "League of the North". Discussion at the US Embassy in Rome, according to the sources present on it, concerned how to respond, and the envoys from Washington encouraged colleagues from the embassy to take a public stance, the newspaper reports.. "Ultimately, this step was ruled out so as not to compromise the opportunity to work with all Italian political forces, but the alarm took a systematic character," reads the article.
According to the author, "during his recent visit to Washington, the candidate for the post of prime minister from the" 5 Star Movement "Luigi Di Maio tried to calm Americans by saying that his movement considers the US an ally, and Russia as an interlocutor of". And then he added that the future of US military bases in Italy will be discussed in the framework of a normal dialogue between allies.
"Each country that will be zealous in using defense for free will not be accepted approvingly by allies, including America," quotes the author Sebastian Gork, former advisor to Trump. - At a time when terrorism remains a global danger and Russia threatens the Baltic region and Ukraine, NATO continues to be the key to the collective defense of the West. Italy is part of this community and, as such, must act in accordance with the team spirit ".
Thus, comments the journalist, starting a discussion about the bases will be equivalent to the desire to break with the US. "In fact, suspicions of Russian interference have turned into details of specific topics on which, as Washington fears, Moscow is trying to frustrate American relations with Rome," the author concludes.