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UKRAINE

Italy seeks to freeze assets of Russian who fled after arrest in Milan

Italy said Thursday it was seeking to freeze the assets of a Russian arrested in Milan at Washington's request who disappeared while under house arrest only to re-emerge in Russia.

Italy seeks to freeze assets of Russian who fled after arrest in Milan
Illustration photo; This photograph taken on June 25, 2021 shows an aerial view with railway central station in the city of Milan. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP)

Justice Minister Carlo Nordio was called to parliament to explain what happened with Artyom Uss, the son of a Siberian governor, Alexander Uss, who was detained in Italy on a US warrant in October.

He went missing from his residence near Milan at the end of March, despite wearing an electronic tracking bracelet, the day after a judge ordered his extradition to the United States.

Washington accuses Uss of taking part in illegal schemes to export US military technology to Russia.

In evidence to MPs, Nordio did not explain how he escaped, saying only that an investigation was underway.

But he said Italy was “checking whether it was possible to insert Mr. Uss in the list of Russian citizens whose assets it is possibl to freeze”.

“Let’s see we can at least attack him on his assets,” he added.

The minister also said he had initiated disciplinary proceedings before the Court of Cassation against the magistrates of the Milan appeal court who authorised his transfer from detention to house arrest.

US authorities had warned of the risk that Uss, a well-connected individual with significant financial resources, might flee.

On April 4, Uss announced he was back in Russia, giving no details of how he left.

Uss was one of five Russians arrested on Washington’s request in October for “unlawful schemes to export powerful” US military technology to Russia.

The US Justice Department said some of these had been “discovered on the battlefields of Ukraine”.

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UKRAINE

Italy warns against ‘rash’ moves over arms to Ukraine

Italy's foreign minister on Saturday reiterated his opposition to Ukraine using Italian weapons inside Russia, warning of a "delicate" situation where "rash" moves must be avoided.

Italy warns against 'rash' moves over arms to Ukraine

Support is growing among NATO allies for allowing Ukraine to use Western-donated weapons to strike inside Russian territory – but Rome, a founding member of the alliance, remains opposed.

“It is a very delicate moment, we must not make false steps” and must avoid “rash steps and declarations”, Antonio Tajani told a meeting in Rapallo, northwest Italy, according to the AGI and ANSA news agencies.

He added that “even the US has not authorised the indiscriminate use of its weapons against Russia, but only to strike a base from where the drones depart. They too are very cautious”, AGI reported.

Tajani added that Italy would send another package of aid to Ukraine within “weeks”.

But he repeated that “we will not send even one Italian soldier to fight in Ukraine because we are not at war with Russia”, AGI reported.

Germany said on Friday it had given Ukraine permission to fire German-delivered weapons at targets in Russia.

READ ALSO: Berlin allows Ukraine to fire German weapons at targets in Russia

The day before, US officials said Washington had partially lifted similar restrictions to allow Ukraine to defend its eastern Kharkiv region, which borders Russia.

The change in Washington’s thinking was attributed by US officials to Russia’s daily pounding of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second biggest city.

Russia fired a combined 100 missiles and drones at Ukraine overnight, in a barrage that targeted energy sites across the country, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday.

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