"Spies for Moscow"two soldiers expelled: the Farnesina summons the Russian ambassador

New diplomatic clash between Russia and Italy. Rome expelled two military attachés of the embassy of Russian Federation in Italy, because they were held responsible for espionage activities emerged in the investigation (top secret information in exchange for money) coordinated by Rome Prosecutor’s Office. Moscow quickly threatened: “Russia will provide an adequate response.”

Tajani announces: “Two soldiers from the Russian embassy in Italy expelled”

The decision of the Italian government was announced Antonio Tajani. “The general secretary of the Farnesina – wrote the Foreign Minister on social media – has just communicated to 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. A serious and unacceptable interference for the Italian institutions and for the national security“, underlines the deputy prime minister.

“Russia’s reaction is retaliation”

Russia’s reaction? “It’s one retaliation meaningless. The problem is that the two expelled from Italy were carrying out espionage activities to the detriment of national security. And this is proven,” observes Tajani.

The one in Moscow “is just a retaliation. These people were carrying out activities espionage to the detriment of our country to the detriment of national security. They were not expelled on a whim of Italy, there are videos, photographs, images. These were two spies who corrupted and therefore they cannot be in Italy.”

And again: “The Russia it can retaliate as much as it wants, but it is about revenge, not about actions to protect Russian security. They must prove that those they expel are spies. We have expelled two spies. Ours is a choice based on facts, theirs is a political choice, they are free to do so but it is absolutely unfounded”, concludes the head of the Farnesina.

The Russian Ambassador: “Italy has no figures like Putin or Lavrov”

Italy does not have figures like the Russian president, Vladimir Putinand his Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. This is the consideration entrusted to Telegram byRussian ambassador in Italy, Alexey Paramonovfollowing the expulsion of two military attachés from the Moscow embassy, ​​accused of espionage.

“On 9 July I was summoned again to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to the so-called ‘Farnesina’. Unlike many other Roman places that I happen to frequent, here, as always, nothing good happens”, writes the Russian ambassador, “the gray eminence of Italian diplomacythe Secretary General Riccardo Guariglia, by expelling as many Russian diplomats as possible from the country, would like to limit Russia’s influence in Italy as much as possible. This is however impossible: in fact, Russia can count on exponents of the stature of Vladimir Putin and Sergei Lavrov.”

“Italy, on the other hand, despite its immense potential on the level of ideas and with its political and humanistic heritage, today it does not have figures of this stature”, concludes Paramonov, “we can only hope that they will emerge again here too, to restore to Italy the autonomy and prestige it once enjoyed even in “foreign affairs”.

The meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

On the recommendation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, the Secretary General of the Farnesina, Riccardo Guarigliatoday summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Italy Aleksej Paramonov to demonstrate the firmest protest of the Italian Government following the illegal activities carried out by two officials with diplomatic status of the Embassy of the Russian Federation, recently identified on the national territory, thanks to the AISI report. This was announced by the Farnesina.

“During the meeting, the Secretary General reiterated that these actions constitute a serious and unacceptable interference with national security and for Italian institutions. It was also underlined that Italy will continue to counter with the utmost determination any hostile activity conducted against the country, in close coordination with its Allies”, adds the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“In this context, Ambassador Paramonov was notified the decision to proceed with expulsion of the Diplomatic Staff of the Russian Federation – Ivan Petrovich Gorbachev and Mikhail Vasilyevich Astakhov – involved in activities found to be incompatible with the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations”, concludes the note.

The investigation into espionage for Russia

Two former members of the Italian intelligence services were arrested last Tuesday as part of an investigation by the Rome prosecutor’s office and of Military Prosecutor’s Office of Rome on an alleged case of espionage in favor of Russia.

The ROS carabinieri carried out two precautionary measures and a series of searches against the suspects and five other people, accused in various capacities of crimes ranging from espionage at the revelation Of state secretsup to the yearabusive access to computer systems.

According to what emerged from the investigations, started in maggio 2025the main suspect is a former member of national intelligence ed former non-commissioned officer of the Army of the Carabinieri, 59 years old, already in service at AISI and retired for several years. The other arrested is also a former member of Aisi. Both are accused of having collected and passed on confidential information to an alleged Russian military intelligence agent (GRU), accredited in Italy with diplomatic cover and therefore entitled to immunity.

The investigators dispute in particular the transmission, for monetary compensationof classified information regarding national security, including news of a military nature and the names of members of the Italian secret services and the Ros.