Arsonists Strike Italian Villa of Popular Russian TV Propagandist Who Blamed Bucha Massacre on the British
Suspected arsonists set fires at a villa in Lake Como, Italy owned by one of Russia’s most viral state TV propagandists, Vladimir Solovyov.
Solovyov was nowhere near the residence at the time, but a person or persons burned tires on the property of the estate on Wednesday. Agenzia Italia reported the damage was minimal.
Ora in Italia anche gli incendi nelle ville dei russi.https://t.co/kPSKgjWs9M
— Lega Esteri (@EsteriLega) April 6, 2022
The outlet likened the arson to a symbolic gesture, or a “demonstration”:
It has caused almost no damage but appears significant for the anti-Russian sentiment that brings with it the arson raid against the villa of Menaggio, on Lake Como, of the oligarch and TV presenter Vladimir Solovyev.
A “demonstration act”, as Michele Spaggiari defined it, the mayor of the lakeside resort much loved by Russian tourists, because only tires were burned inside the residence which, in fact, is currently undergoing renovation and therefore it’s empty.
The home on the property, which is under renovation, was not destroyed or significantly damaged.
Solovyov has become known for his screeds against the West in the six weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Julia Ioffe reported a day before the fire that Solovyov said Russia’s war in Europe is not only against Ukraine, but against all of the West.
Vladimir Solovyov, Russia’s Tucker Carlson, says on air something I’ve been hearing from Moscow sources a lot these days: “This is an existential question…We are waging a special operation not against Ukraine, but against the whole West.”
https://t.co/1sLGKF15rv pic.twitter.com/5nFpPKotiR— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) April 6, 2022
He also reportedly blamed the Bucha massacre of civilians outside Kyiv on the British in a recent statement.
#Russian propagandist Vladimir #Solovyov says the massacre of #Bucha is the work of #British specialists because the words “Bucha” and “butcher” sound similar. pic.twitter.com/FTdlQXBQ4o
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 5, 2022
Others who monitor Kremlin-backed media have reported on Solovyov’s rhetoric as of late.
Anti-Western rhetoric continues on Russian state TV, as host Vladimir Solovyov warns the US: “You don’t know yet what responses we’ve prepared for you. You don’t know yet where this is all going. You won’t like it at all, my dear American comrades.” pic.twitter.com/pWK6E7qhRu
— Steve Rosenberg (@BBCSteveR) March 31, 2022
The Telegram post from ZTV, which Solovyov shared that describes Ukrainians shelling retreating Russian units from Bucha on April 1 pic.twitter.com/vbXsx2Y7aR
— Samuel Ramani (@SamRamani2) April 4, 2022
Solovyov complained of losing access to his Italian property in February after he was sanctioned.
Julia Davis, who analyzes Russian media for the Daily Beast, reported the state TV talking head ranted about being sanctioned on his show The Evening With Vladimir Soloviev.
“I was told that Europe is a citadel of rights, that everything is permitted, that’s what they said,” he complained. “I know from personal experience about the so-called ‘sacred property rights.’ With every transaction I was bringing paperwork demonstrating my official salary, income, I did it all. I bought it, paid crazy amount of taxes, I did everything. And suddenly someone makes a decision that this journalist is now on the list of sanctions. And right away it affects your real estate. Wait a minute. But you told us that Europe has sacred property rights!”
