Supplies Sent to Italy from Russia are Labelled 'Useless'

Forbes issued an article about the supplies sent by Russia to one of the worst-hit countries globally, Italy. The transfer of the supplies followed a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

The ‘aid’ package, named “From Russia With Love,” was sent to Italy on Sunday, as Reuters reports. The parcel consisted of ‘ventilators, disinfectants, masks, protective equipment and testing kits.’

The transaction was settled by the defense ministries of the two nations, where the goods were transported with military planes. Military doctors were also on the flight along with a team of specialists who disembarked at a military airbase close to Rome.

But the medical supplies from Russia have apparently been labeled “useless” by Italian authorities. this provoked allegations that Putin is boarding on a political offensive by ‘exploiting gaps in the European Union’s response to COVID-19.’

A ‘high-level political source’ told an Italian newspaper La Stampa that “Eighty percent of Russian supplies are totally useless or of little use to Italy,”. Additionally, the source purportedly accused Putin of going on a “geopolitical and diplomatic charm offensive”, nevertheless the accusations were condemned as “perverse” by Sergei Razov, Russia’s ambassador to Italy, Russian news agency RIA Novosti described.

In recent days, Italy has outstripped China by having the greatest number of deaths caused by COVID-19, estimated at around 7,500 people, followed by Spain with more than 4,000 Coronavirus deaths.

By B.Alexishvili