Ukrainian embassy in Italy slams planned conference on 'Mariupol's rebirth', calling it 'Russian propaganda'

"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.

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.