ALBAWABA - Italy announced Thursday expelling two Russian military attaches who were accused of spying.
Italy's Foreign Minister slammed the situation and called it "serious and unacceptable acts of interference" by Russia.
The expulsions came two days after police said they arrested two former Italian intelligence agents accused of leaking secrets on military aid to Ukraine to Moscow.
"The Italian government has decided to expel two military attaches from the embassy of the Russian Federation in Italy, involved in espionage activities uncovered by the Rome public prosecutor’s office," Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani posted in a statement on X.
The minister further revealed the names of the two Russians: Ivan Petrovich Gorbachev and Mikhail Vasilyevich Astakhov, adding they were asked to depart Rome within three days.
"Moscow continues to use hybrid warfare to attack the West and Italy -- acts of interference that are serious and unacceptable to Italian institutions and national security," Tajani maintained.
He added, "The Secretary General of the Farnesina has just informed the Russian Ambassador in Rome that Ivan Petrovich Gorbachev and Mikhail Vasilyevich Astakhov must leave Rome within 3 days. Moscow continues to use its hybrid weapons to attack the West and Italy."
