Tajani condemns the hybrid war; Salvini plays down Russia’s responsibility

“Let the secret services determine who is doing what, not politicians.” This was Matteo Salvini’s response to those asking whether Russia was behind the cyber-attacks of recent days. The Deputy Prime Minister spoke on the matter this morning in Segrate, where he inaugurated the northern section of the modern Cassanese road. When also asked about the threats made against Antonio Tajani, he pointed out that he had already expressed solidarity with his colleague. Salvini, however, urged caution in identifying those responsible, thereby playing down the alarm raised by the Foreign Secretary over the weekend.

On Saturday, Tajani reported that he had been targeted by the pro-Russian hacker group NoName057(16), which published his personal details on the dark web and offered money for further information about him and his family. The minister linked the threats to Italy’s support for Ukraine and, on Sunday, during a meeting with journalists at the Farnesina, spoke of a hybrid warfare strategy against Western democracies. Regarding the perpetrators of the attacks, he explained that the evidence points eastwards, whilst clarifying, however, that “pro-Russian hackers are one thing, but if a foreign country is orchestrating this, that is a different matter”. 

Salvini has also commented on the matter in recent days. When asked whether Moscow was involved in the attacks on the refrigeration systems of European supermarkets, he replied: “It’s not for me to say; the secret services are looking into it, but if it rains tomorrow, it won’t be the Russians’ fault”. Then, in September, when Tajani warned of the risk of Russian interference in the Italian and European elections, the League leader spoke of “an anti-Russian anxiety that worries me”.

Meanwhile, Tajani is in Paris for the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting, scheduled for today and tomorrow. At his request, the French presidency has added the issue of hybrid warfare to the agenda, following the attacks that affected air traffic, supermarkets and other European infrastructure. The minister will call for a joint response and has warned that disinformation could also be used to influence the upcoming elections. On Sunday evening, he even found time to joke about the threats he has received, posting a photograph on social media featuring a dog, Argo, presented to pro-Russian hackers as the new guardian of the Tajani household.