[Artist] The Italian government,
the Italian state, spends €70 million per day. 00:00:26 00:00:27 [Man] We are committing suicide. 00:00:27 00:00:31 [Guy] These are the same politicians from the US and NATO. 00:00:31 00:00:34 They want people to die, and they make money from it. 00:00:35 00:00:38 [VO] There are those who opposed this decision at various levels of government. 00:00:38 00:00:43 [Man] I was one of the MPs who marched with a sign. 00:00:44 00:00:50 [VO] Italians also protested in the streets. 00:00:55 00:00:59 [VO] But across the ocean, in the United States, their voices are not heard. 00:00:59 00:01:07 [VO] Italy holds the record for the number of US and NATO military sites - there are more than 120 of them. 00:01:07 00:01:12 [Man] American weapons, atomic bombs are here in Italy. 00:01:13 00:01:18 [Man] There are now more American soldiers in Italy than in the war against the Nazis. 00:01:21 00:01:24 [VO] This is the Italian FH70 howitzer. 00:01:25 00:01:30 [VO] The Ukrainian Army is already using it to target not only Russian soldiers but also civilians.
[Man]Is this civilisation?
[Man]Is this democracy?
[Man]Is this progress? What is this? 00:01:47 00:01:51 [VO] Neapolitan artist Jorit is a celebrity in the world of street art. 00:01:51 00:01:57 [VO] His work is well-known in North and South America, the Middle East, Europe, and, finally, Russia. 00:01:57 00:02:00 [VO] It was he who painted the portrait of Dostoyevsky in Naples 00:02:00 00:02:05 after an Italian university decided to cancel its course on the great Russian writer 00:02:05 00:02:07 because of the events in Ukraine.
[Jorit, Artist] Dostoyevsky has a crying baby depicted in his eye.
[Jorit] Here, in the West, they only talk of the conflict now,
about the operation Russia is conducting in Ukraine,
but not about what came before it...
about 8 years of war.
[Jorit] Of course, I'm anti-fascist, a convinced anti-fascist.
[Jorit] We're in Rome, this mural shows Valerio Verbano.
[Jorit] He was killed by fascists when he was just 18,
because he found ties
between criminal gangs and the secret services
and the fascists who trafficked drugs into Italy. 00:02:55 00:02:57 [VO] Valerio Verbano was an Italian left-wing activist, 00:02:57 00:03:00 and his killers have still not been found.
[Jorit] I work mainly with collectors who privately commission paintings.
[Jorit] That's my main focus.
[Jorit] As I'm a fairly well-known artist, I earn well,
so I don't overcharge for government work. 00:03:19 00:03:24 [VO] Jorit has always been in favour of a multipolar world and against US 00:03:24 00:03:28 and NATO hegemony, which explains his sharply negative attitude to Italy's 00:03:28 00:03:32 increased defence spending and arms supplies to Ukraine.
[Jorit] Every day,
the Italian government state spends €70 million.
[Jorit] Every day! 70 million spent on NATO.
[Jorit] For €70 million, you could build 7 schools per day here in Italy. 00:03:51 00:03:52 [Life] Morning! 00:04:02 00:04:07 [VO] There are two other artists in Jorit's crew: Salvatore from Naples and Jeremy from Peru.
[Salvatore, Artist] There are some 150 NATO bases
spread all over our national territory
So, as an Italian, I...
[Salvatore] This is why I think we are treated more like a colony
than a valued ally...
as far as NATO is concerned. 00:04:44 00:04:47 [VO] The artists are painting a portrait of a Peruvian peasant woman, 00:04:47 00:04:52 to symbolise a multi-polar world with Latin America as one of its centres of power. 00:05:00 00:05:01 [VO] Amedeo is a student from Turin. 00:05:00 00:05:06 [VO] His last name is pronounced in the French way, with a silent 'T,' Avondee. 00:05:00 00:05:11 [VO] He is a rebel and a romantic who has been studying Russia since he was ten years old.
[Amedeo Avonde]I've read various journals:
Russian, American, French, and English
[Amedeo Avonde]I formed my own views about Russia and Italy.
[Amedeo Avonde]This is where the rally in support of Russia took place.
[Amedeo Avonde]During the rally,
a Ukrainian woman tried to attack me
and take the sign I was holding.
[Amedeo Avonde]Fortunately, she wasn't very tall or strong,
so she failed.
[Amedeo Avonde]Then some Right Sector guys came along
and tried to sneak onto the stage and push us off it.
[Amedeo Avonde]They threw stuff at us as we were speaking. 00:05:56 00:06:00 [VO] Amedeo is only 22, but he has already founded his own political party, 00:06:00 00:06:03 the United Italy Party, modelled after its Russian counterpart. 00:06:03 00:06:10 [Amedeo Avonde, student]Our party is for Italy's withdrawal from the EU, NATO, 00:06:10 00:06:15 and for strong friendship with Russia. 00:06:17 00:06:18 [VO] The party has its own programme. 00:06:18 00:06:23 [VO] It is aimed at building a welfare state that must be accountable to its citizens. 00:06:24 00:06:29 [Amedeo]I hate a system that creates problems all over the world. 00:06:30 00:06:40 Unleashes wars not only in Ukraine, but also in Argentina, Chile, Syria, Libya. 00:06:40 00:06:46 [Amedeo]These are all the same politicians from the USA and NATO. 00:06:46 00:06:55 [Amedeo]They want people to die, they make money from it. 00:06:55 00:07:01 [Amedeo]I have absolutely normal attitude towards Ukrainians, 00:07:02 00:07:04 I have no dislike for them, nor for people from other countries. 00:07:04 00:07:15 [Amedeo]I hope that when it's over, Russians and Ukrainians will live in peace.
[Eliseo Bertolasi, PhD] I'm absolutely opposed to
Italy continuing to supply Ukraine's Army
with the weapons that are being used against Russian soldiers
and against civilians in Donbass.
[Eliseo] I'm Italian. 00:07:43 00:07:45 [VO] Eliseo Bertolasi holds a Ph.D. in anthropology. 00:07:45 00:07:47 [VO] He is a publicist who studied in Russia. 00:07:47 00:07:51 [VO] Informally, he represents the Donetsk People's Republic in Italy. 00:07:51 00:07:54 [VO] He won't stay long in Moscow this time. 00:07:54 00:07:57 [VO] He has many friends here, and with their help, he is once again trying to organise a trip to Donbass.
[Eliseo] Donbass identifies as Russian, the people there feel Russian.
[Eliseo] The Western Ukrainians basically...
[Eliseo] They even hate Russia, so how can they live together?
[Eliseo] When I ask people from Western Ukraine,
they often answer:
'I am Ukrainian because we are different from Russians'. 00:08:24 00:08:29 [VO] Eliseo has been to Donbass many times and filmed videos for his website there. 00:08:29 00:08:36 [VO] Major Italian media outlets refused to publish what he saw with his own eyes.
[Eliseo] Ukraine has always said that Donbass is Ukraine
But if Donbass is Ukraine...
[Eliseo] I ask: 'I'm sorry, but then why do you keep shelling them?' 00:08:55 00:08:58 [VO] Ornella Mariani is a historian and an influencer. 00:08:58 00:09:01 [VO] People know her, listen to her, and read her works. 00:09:01 00:09:06 [VO] Immediately after official Italy condemned Russia for the special operation in Ukraine, 00:09:06 00:09:10 Ornella recorded an appeal to President Vladimir Putin.
[life] To the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. 00:09:16 00:09:18 [VO] She asked him to separate the Italian people from their government.
[Ornella Mariani, historian] The time of American uni-polarity is finished.
[Ornella] And if Putin can be
the Saint George who decapitates
this killer octopus,
we will be on his side!
[Ornella] The Americans and NATO,
and their minions in Brussels,
must realise that 'Atlantism' is finished
and that Nazism is finished! 00:09:56 00:10:02 [VO] Italian journalist Giorgio Bianchi has been factored out of the Anglo-Saxon mainstream equation for one reason only: 00:10:02 00:10:07 he has been travelling to Donbass for the past eight years and reporting on what is really happening there.
[Giorgio Bianchi, journalist] There are 3 buried over there...
[Giorgio] When I got to Donetsk, I found a terrifying situation:
a city of nearly 2 million people was completely destroyed
[Giorgio] They want to tear Russia to pieces
and to seize Russia's resources.
[Giorgio] This is their goal, and they'll do anything to achieve it.
[Pino Cabras, Italian MP, 2018-2022] By getting involved in this war, Europe is losing itself
and gaining the status of NATO's dumb kid brother. 00:10:44 00:10:46 [Pino] I was among the parliament members, who stood up with a sign. 00:10:53 00:10:58 [VO] However, this act of protest led nowhere. They adopted the act to supply Ukraine with weapons.
[Pino] The economic consequences will be very dramatic
It signifies a breach, not only with Russia,
but also with the rest of Eurasia,
including China and many other countries. 00:11:19 00:11:22 [VO] Senator Vito Petrocelli became persona non grata in the governing 00:11:22 00:11:29 party not only because he voted against the supply of Italian weapons to Ukraine, but also for his Twitter posts.
[Vito Petrocelli, Italian Senator, 2018-2022] I celebrated Italy's Liberation Day,
with a capital 'Z' in the word 'liberaZione'.
[Vito] It was a political provocation
[Vito] I expected it to generate more dialogue
and debate within parliament
But instead, it just led to more repression aimed at me.
[Amedeo]The Italian media won't let me speak freely.
[Amedeo]They censor me and publish fake news about me,
claiming I'm a Russian spy and paid by the Kremlin
to say the things I say.
[Amedeo]The newspapers twist facts about me,
but I'm sure Italians will soon learn the truth.
[Amedeo]We're going to Bergamo.
[Amedeo]Today, before noon, there'll be a mass demonstration.
[Amedeo]It's a bit of a high-risk zone
because there's a strong Ukrainian community in Bergamo.
[Amedeo]There's a lot of them, and they may try to create disturbances
and cause problems.
[Jorit] This thinking rules out dialogue with Russia
and assumes there will be none with China,
suggesting we're heading for conflict...
an all-in brawl.
[Jorit] I've said this a thousand times:
you can't start an all-in brawl because we will all die.
[Jorit] This would mean waging war with a nuclear power:
Russia, one of the greatest nuclear powers after the US. 00:13:16 00:13:20 [VO] There are around 200 US nuclear bombs and 310 aircraft carriers stationed in Europe. 00:13:20 00:13:25 [VO] These are kept in varying degrees of combat readiness, but out of 28 NATO members, 00:13:25 00:13:30 just 3 are recognised as nuclear powers: France, the US, and the UK. 00:13:30 00:13:36 [VO] Only the United States allows its weapons of mass destruction to be deployed on partner territory: 00:13:30 00:13:41 in Italy, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Turkey.
[Life] OK, give the order!
[Life] All right!
[Life] Going up! 00:13:48 00:13:53 [VO] While the artists were working on the portrait of the Peruvian peasant woman, 00:13:53 00:13:57 they received an unexpected invitation to an art festival in Moscow.
[Life] Careful, careful!
[Life] Don't snag it!
[Life] For God's sake, be more careful.
[Life] Easy, easy.
[Life] Look, almost at the top
Vesuvius!
[Salvatore, Artist] There's an incredible energy felt by all Neapolitans.
[Salvatore] The energy of Vesuvius, our life is in its hands
Living here, near Vesuvius, makes you think of Pompeii.
[Salvatore] We risk ending up just like that
I think we should...
invest in more art projects
because art helps people open their minds.
[Life] Hello! [Life] Hello! 00:15:03 00:15:05 [VO] Jorit arrived in Moscow to take part in the largest 00:15:05 00:15:10 international street art festival alongside his colleagues: Salvatore and Jeremy. 00:15:10 00:15:14 [VO] The mural they will be working on needs to be finished in 3 weeks. 00:15:14 00:15:17 [VO] The artists are keeping the design under wraps.
[Jorit] 3 weeks is enough time just to finish. I hope it won't rain.
[Jorit] I'm Jorit,
and I've finally made it to Moscow.
[Jorit] It's a bit cold, but I'm happy to be here.
[Amedeo] We're about to hit the highway, it's just a few kilometres to Bergamo.
[Amedeo] Look there, Bergamo. 00:15:49 00:15:51 [VO] Amedeo hurries to join a pro-Russian rally. 00:15:52 00:15:54 [VO] The city of Bergamo was not chosen by pure chance: 00:15:54 00:16:00 it was here that the Russian military doctors came to the aid of ordinary Italians during the COVID pandemic.
[Amedeo] A very important thing:
[Amedeo] Russian doctors really helped us a lot with fighting COVID.
[Amedeo] Yeah, sure.
[Amedeo] Let me take a picture. 00:16:17 00:16:23 [VO] Masamigliano Banavulio is a professor at the local university and is also a United Italy party activist. 00:16:30 00:16:33 [VO] He is also a fan of Belarus, his wife's home country. 00:16:34 00:16:37 [VO] Masamigliano is explaining how to get to the rally.
[Masamigliano Banavulio, Professor ] Wait, wait!
[Masamigliano] Follow our car
[Masamigliano] Now, we're going to pick up the stage, stands, and microphones.
[Masamigliano] As for the goals of this rally, we want to point out the risks,
and put an end to Russophobic propaganda.
[Masamigliano] We're not against anyone in particular.
[Masamigliano] We demand that this anti-Russian propaganda be ceased
because it exposes the modern world to the biggest risk:
the risk of a nuclear war.
[Nicole] Our goal is to show we aren't afraid to say what we think.
[Nicole] I'll take the bags? [Masamigliano] Yes. 00:17:33 00:17:36 [VO] Nicole arrived here from the UK and has been looking forward to this day. 00:17:38 00:17:43 [Nicole, Intrepreneu] I am very grateful to Russia that its troops are rescuing people in Donbass, 00:17:43 00:17:45 whom Ukraine has been bombing for many years. 00:17:45 00:17:46 [Nicole] Ukrainians do not like to be reminded of this. 00:17:46 00:17:48 [Nicole] They keep saying that Russia attacked them, to which I say: "No, dear. 00:17:48 00:17:59 [Nicole] Ukraine attacked the Russian people of Donbass first, and it went on for 8 years."
[Life]Marchi! Marcelo! I'm off to get some water!
[Life]No, no! I'll do it, don't worry
'NATO is state terrorism'.
[Life]Well said: 'NATO is state terrorism'
[Life]That's right on the mark, that's exactly what it is. 00:18:22 00:18:27 [VO] Italy hosts several US and NATO military bases with some 15,500 thousand US troops. 00:18:36 00:18:37 [Massimiliano] The first condition is to be free from the US, and the second is to be liberated 00:18:38 00:18:41 from the European Central Bank and the European Union. 00:18:46 00:18:52 [Massimiliano] I think that Europe must reclaim its place in the world and ally itself with Russia, 00:18:53 00:18:54 since Russia is a part of Europe as well.
[Amedeo] As we say in Italy: 'A friend in need is a friend indeed'.
[Amedeo] Russia's allies need to support it now,
so we'll continue our efforts not only to change the laws
that our government has adopted with little regard for its people,
but also to show our support and friendly intentions towards Russia. 00:19:20 00:19:23 [VO] Journalist Giorgio Bianchi is finally in Moscow. 00:19:23 00:19:27 [VO] Today, he’s conducting an exclusive interview with Maria Zakharova, 00:19:27 00:19:28 the Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokeswoman.
[Giorgio] There's one question I'd like to ask Maria Zakharova
that really troubles me.
[Giorgio] I was on Maidan in the days of the coup d'état.
[Giorgio] I'd like to know if, at that time,
Russia had the impression that these events
would change the historical trajectory of Europe and Russia,
as well as Russia-EU relations?
[Giorgio] Has Russia been waiting for the best moment to intervene,
while preparing for sanctions from the West? 00:20:11 00:20:17 [VO] Russia has tried to explain its position, but its words have fallen on deaf ears.
[Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokeswoman] If we believe the world has only one master who's sitting in Washington,
then we, by default, give up the idea of democracy.
[Maria Zakharova] Democracy can't be run from a single decision-making centre.
[Maria Zakharova] After all, it's derived from the word 'demos,' i.e. 'the people'.
Not from the word 'master'.
[Giorgio] Maria Zakharova is a really great speaker.
[Giorgio] I didn't expect her to sit for a 2-hour interview
and answer all my questions.
[Giorgio] So this interview has not just one part, as I expected, but of two.
[Maria Zakharova] Thanks! [Giorgio] Thank you! Say hi to your family. 00:21:01 00:21:04 [VO] The US is the main supplier of weapons to Ukraine: 41 billion dollars. 00:21:04 00:21:07 [VO] The UK takes second place with around 7 billion dollars. 00:21:07 00:21:11 [VO] The EU has provided over 6 billion dollars’ worth. 00:21:11 00:21:17 [VO] Poland supplies Ukraine with the most weapons, with Italy in fourth place.
[Ornella] No one attacked us, so it's incomprehensible
[Ornella] Why did we take sides, join the conflict, and supply weapons
to an unsuccessful comedian? 00:21:41 00:21:44 [VO] Patrick Boylan, an American, has lived in Italy for over 40 years. 00:21:44 00:21:46 [VO] He teaches English here. 00:21:46 00:21:53 [VO] Despite being American, he finds the leading role his country wants to play in all international conflicts unacceptable. 00:21:56 00:22:01 [Patrick Boylan, Professor] There are more American soldiers in Italy now than during the war against the Nazis. 00:22:02 00:22:07 [Patrick] Much more, yes... But where is the enemy? Who is it? No... 00:22:07 00:22:10 [Patrick] I am the enemy. She is the enemy. 00:22:10 00:22:14 [Patrick] The people in the streets are the enemy. We are under NATO control. 00:22:20 00:22:24 [VO] Marinella Corregia is an anti-NATO activist with years of experience. 00:22:24 00:22:28 [VO] She has travelled with peace delegations to Iraq and the former Yugoslavia. 00:22:28 00:22:32 [VO] She’s never been afraid to state her views to senior officials.
[Marinella Correggia, activist] NATO is an alliance of war and has been for a long time.
[Marinella] This idea is at its very core.
[Marinella] I am saddened to hear that neutral countries, Sweden and Finland,
those we used to look at with something akin to envy,
have now become NATO slaves.
[Marinella] The situation is very dramatic.
[Marinella] It's a radical change for the worst.
[Liseo Bertolasi, journalist] There are vast areas in Donetsk that have been completely destroyed
And the people...
Civilians came under shelling and were bombed by the Ukrainian Army.
[Liseo] It's like Stalingrad.
[Liseo] My biggest regret is that Europe has closed its eyes
and won't even talk about this.
[Liseo] Is this civilisation?
[Liseo] Is this democracy?
[Liseo] Is this progress? What is this? 00:23:43 00:23:47 [VO] Today, publicist Liseo Bertolasi was finally granted permission 00:23:47 00:23:51 to travel to Donbass, where he will gather material for his Italian blog.
[Liseo] My goal was to go to Donetsk, and I'm going!
[Liseo] We'll keep in touch anyway! All right, goodbye!
[Amedeo] Back when Italy fought Napoleon,
who helped the Italians continue their struggle
for independence and freedom?
[Amedeo] It was Russia once again.
[Amedeo] Here is the flag of Russia, the greatest symbol of free thought.
[Amedeo] This Russian flag is a symbol of freedom,
independence, and the desire for change.
[Amedeo] I see corrupt Italian politicians providing funding for this war
alongside Americans, the EU, and NATO.
[Amedeo] The longer it lasts, the more Europe funds it.
[Amedeo] My father is a police officer.
[Amedeo] Like many other security officials,
he is not very supportive of our government.
[Amedeo] Clearly, holding political positions
that contradict the government's main line can be very difficult.
[Andrea Avondet, Amedeo’s father]We have the same values and ideology,
so we see eye-to-eye on political issues.
[Andrea] Amedeo is an ardent fan of Russian politics, history, culture,
and the Russian people in general.
[Andrea] He fell in love with Russia and can't betray it at such a crucial time. 00:25:40 00:25:52 [Author] I really like this piece. I think it's the best picture I've seen lately. [Jorit] Thank you. [Author] Is this your job? [Jorit] Yes! [Author] Great! [Jorit] Thanks. 00:25:57 00:26:03 [VO] On this day, Jorit and his team are finishing their piece for the international street art festival in Moscow.
[Jorit] The lips need to be moved a little lower too.
[Jorit] Here, from this side.
[Jorit] You're right, well spotted.
[Jorit] Assange is basically a journalist. For this and for telling the truth,
he ended up in jail.
[Jorit] This shows the scale of the problem the world faces when it comes to...
freedom of information.
[Jorit] We decided to paint him on a 15-story building,
since it's very hard to ignore a picture this size.
[Jorit] Now, Assange will be here, and this will be a statement
demanding his immediate release from custody.
[Jorit] Public opinion in the West is now very clear
Almost everyone espouses the idea that Russia is absolute evil,
and the West is absolute good.
[Jorit] I'm trying to break this idea.