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Written by Piero Messina
Italy ended up on the list of countries hostile to Russia. After decades of collaboration and commercial exchanges, Italy has turned its back on Russia, following the demands of NATO and the European Union. Thus, the Italian government has decided to send arms and ammunition to the Ukrainian army and at the same time has decided to strengthen its military contingent in the Baltic countries. The choice of the Italian government refers to articles 3 and 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which allow the parties to help each other to increase “their individual and collective capacity to resist an armed attack”. As Winston Churchill said, the situation in Italy is always very serious but it is never serious. The Italian government, led by Mario Draghi (banker, former head of the European Central Bank) has classified the decree giving the green light to the supply of arms to Ukraine as top secret. Reasons for national security and confidentiality: “I must have the right confidentiality on the operational modalities with which we will face and fulfill our duty of support to Ukraine. Today the Parliament has invited and committed the government to work in this direction. I signed an inter-ministerial decree, which is also signed by other ministers, the content is classified “, explained the Italian Minister of Defense, Lorenzo Guerini, talking to the press.
But in Italy there is never anything secret. It was enough to follow the radar tracks of the Italian military aviation to identify the Lockheed C-130s that carried out the first supplies of weapons. The Italian aircraft were escorted into the skies by drones launched from the Sicilian base of Sigonella. On the other hand, the airlift for delivery is entrusted to NATO. There are no mysteries about the endowment supplied to Kiev either. The first supply consists of anti-aircraft Stinger missiles, Spike anti-tank missiles, machine guns and ammunition “to the government authorities”. In the package arriving from Rome, the Ukrainians will find a few hundred missiles capable of neutralizing tanks or planes, thousands of light and heavy machine guns, ammunition and, not excluded, even anti-tank mines. Alongside the missiles, Italy will then send thousands of firearms such as the Browning heavy machine guns and the lighter MGs. All weapons that will arrive in Ukraine with the relative ammunition.
But that Italy has decided to go to “war” is also shown by the strengthening of the military device in crisis areas. Rome is strengthening the three NATO missions already active on the eastern front. The first two of the four Italian Eurofighter aircraft that will double the air force deployment on that front have already landed at the Kogălniceanu base in Constanta, Romania. Two more flights will touch the ground in the next few days. Currently 3,400 Italian soldiers are mobilized on the three missions. The first 1,350 will be operational until 30 September.
A new French-led multinational Battle Group made up of 1,500 soldiers will be activated in Romania, the fifth after those established in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland following the decision taken by the Heads of State and Government of the Alliance during the Summit of Warsaw in July 2016. The Battle Group will join the US Army’s “Striker” squadron in Romania on the way to transfer from the German base of Vilseck.
Italy takes part in the anti-Russia “deterrence” device with the Baltic Task Group deployed in Latvia as part of the multinational NATO emergency battalion led by Canada and which also includes Albania, Iceland, Montenegro, Poland, the Republic Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. “Faced with a deteriorated perception of security and following a specific request made by the Baltic countries and Poland, NATO has deemed it appropriate to strengthen its presence on the eastern flank of the Euro-Atlantic space, by launching an enhanced Forward Presence (eFP ) “, Explained the Italian Ministry of Defense Guerini, adding that” The eFP is a measure of a defensive nature, proportionate and fully in line with NATO’s international commitment and represents a clear example of the determination to carry out the primary mission of collective security of the Euro-Atlantic territorial integrity against any possible aggression and threat, as well as the reaffirmation of cohesion and solidarity between member countries.
The Italian Air Force was also called upon to do its part against the Moscow bear. Since early December 2021, in Romania, four fourth generation Eurofighter 2000 interceptor fighters have been operating on the “Mihail Koglnicean” base in Constanta with flight crews from the 4th Wing of Grosseto, from the 36th of Gioia del Colle, from the 37th of Trapani-Birgi and from the 51st of Istrana.
In recent months, the exercises and advanced projection activities in the eastern Mediterranean of the war units of the Navy have multiplied, both within NATO and in agreement with the navies of partner countries. The last operation of disruptive muscular visibility ended a few days ago (Neptune Strike), with the involvement of the aircraft carrier “Cavour”, flagship of the Italian Navy, and two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, the “Uss Harry Truman “Of the US Navy and the” Charles de Gaulle “of the French one. From 21 February to 4 March it was the turn of “Dynamic Manta 2022”, NATO war games in which fighter-bombers, anti-som patrol vessels and naval units will hunt down nuclear-powered and capable submarines submerged in the Strait of Sicily and in the sea. Ionian. In short, it had all been widely expected for some time.
