Moscow's hybrid warfare tactics target Italy over support for Ukraine

By Tony Wesolowsky | 2025-04-14

The Kremlin is ramping up its hybrid warfare tactics against Italy, deploying a mix of disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks and diplomatic hostilities in an effort to weaken Rome's pro-Ukraine stance and sow discord within its Euro-Atlantic alliances.

Despite not being Ukraine's top military or financial supporter, Italy has emerged as a target because of the outspoken backing of Kyiv by President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose firm alignment with NATO sets her apart from many right-wing European leaders.

Italy's "steadfast support for Ukraine and its alignment with NATO and the transatlantic relationship has placed the country in "Moscow's crosshairs," Emanuele Rossi, a senior analyst specializing in international politics, wrote in a March 5 article for the Center for European Policy Analysis, a Washington-based think tank.

Russia's efforts to destabilize Italy include diplomatic provocations, state-backed propaganda campaigns and alleged cyberattacks, underscoring the Kremlin’s broader strategy of undermining European unity in the face of its war against Ukraine, Rossi added.

Verbal attacks on Italian president

Tensions between Italy and Russia have escalated in recent months. On March 13, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned Russia's ambassador after what he described as the "umpteenth verbal attack" from Moscow's diplomatic corps on Mattarella.

The move followed remarks by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who accused Mattarella of spreading "lies ... and disinformation" after he criticized Moscow for nuclear threats.

Zakharova responded in February to Mattarella's comparison of Russia's invasion of Ukraine to Nazi Germany's aggression, accusing him of drawing "outrageous, blatantly false historical parallels."

Mattarella had said, "That was the Third Reich's project in Europe. Russia's current aggression against Ukraine is of this very nature."

"Russian narratives portray the Meloni government as subservient to Washington in a bid to exploit political divisions in Italy," said Rossi.

"State-sponsored media and social campaigns amplify opposition voices critical of its Ukraine stance, spreading disinformation to erode public trust and fuel skepticism towards Italy's NATO and EU alignment," said Rossi.

Italian institutions have faced direct cyber threats linked to Russia. In February, Italian media reported that a pro-Russian hacker group known as Noname057(16) had launched cyberattacks on websites belonging to banks, airports and regional administrations.

For Moscow, Italy's military support for Ukraine remains a point of contention. The country has supplied Ukraine with two SAMP/T air defense systems, also known as MAMBA, a Franco-Italian missile defense system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. However, on March 14, Corriere della Sera reported that the systems were nearly out of missiles.

Beyond Italy, Russia's activities in Africa pose additional concerns. Moscow's expanding presence in the Mediterranean, the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, and the Sahel affects Italian strategic interests, Decode39, an Italian news site, reported in February.

Russia's use of mercenaries and other tools in Africa allows it to expand into "areas of traditional Italian engagement," said Rossi.