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Italian journalist Andrea Lucidi, known for his support of Moscow’s war against Ukraine, told state media Wednesday that he was granted Russian citizenship.
Lucidi, 34, who describes himself as an independent journalist, said in November that he had requested citizenship from President Vladimir Putin, citing fears of criminal prosecution and economic sanctions in Italy.
“I want to live in Russia because it’s my second home,” Lucidi told the state news agency TASS at the time. “I wanted to contribute to the war against fascism because I’m an anti-fascist.”
TASS noted that Lucidi has lived in Russia since 2022, the year Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He has reported extensively from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories and has been portrayed in Russian media as a “conveyor of truth” for Italian audiences, framing Moscow as a “liberator” in Ukraine.
Lucidi has built a significant following across social media platforms, including Instagram, X and YouTube.
Italian media have referred to Lucidi as a “Kremlin agent,” alleging that he is paid for his coverage in cryptocurrency, according to TASS.
“This process was very fast,” Lucidi was quoted as saying Wednesday after receiving his Russian passport.
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