Ukrainian embassy in Italy slams planned conference on ‘Mariupol’s rebirth’

The Ukrainian embassy in Italy asked the city of Modena on Thursday (4 January) to withdraw its approval for the use of a civic hall to host an event about Russia's reconstruction of the war-wrecked city of Mariupol.

Mariupol, a port city on the Sea of Azov in southern Ukraine, was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting in the early stages of Moscow's invasion in 2022. It had been almost completely destroyed by shelling when Russia captured and occupied it in May 2022 after a protracted siege.

The conference and exhibition in Modena on Jan. 20 aim to showcase the city's "rebirth after the war" with invited panelists including the Russian consul general in Milan, Dmitry Shtodin, according to the website of the Russia Emilia-Romagna cultural association. Modena is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region.

"We consider this event to be of great cynicism, an open insult to the memory of thousands of civilian victims, an event focused on Russian propaganda and a violation of all moral foundations and principles," Ukraine's ambassador, Yaroslav Melnyk, told Modena mayor Gian Carlo Muzzarelli in a letter.

He added that Modena should do everything possible to protect its residents from misinformation.

Italian lawmaker Filippo Sensi called on party colleague Muzzarelli, a fellow member of the centre-left Democratic Party, to ban the event.

"I am profoundly offended that a pro-Russian organization can make its propaganda on Mariupol .. in a community hall in Modena," Sensi wrote on social media platform X.

The Modena mayor said in a statement that his city did not endorse or support the event, but added that the booking of a civic hall complied with local bylaws and that upon reserving the space, the association committed to respect constitutional values.

The Consulate of the Russian Federation in Milan and the Russia Emilia-Romagna cultural association did not reply to requests for comment.