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Villa on Lake Como owned by a Russian presenter
Photo: FLAVIO LO SCALZO / REUTERS
In Italy, two villas belonging to a TV presenter close to Russian President Vladimir Putin have become the target of attacks.
According to authorities, an arson attack was carried out on the house of Russian journalist Vladimir Solovyov on Lake Como in northern Italy.
A second villa in the area had red paint poured into the pool.
Solovyov is one of the most well-known supporters of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In his program he repeatedly promotes the war (see a video here).
Solovyov owns three properties on Lake Como with a total value of eight million euros.
They were seized by Italian authorities in early March, along with the assets of other Russian Putin allies, under sanctions over the Ukraine war.
According to the authorities, strangers set fire to some tires in one of the houses, which were quickly extinguished.
“It was a very small fire, with little material.
There is practically no damage," said the head of the Como fire department, Gennaro di Maio.
The owner was unknown in town for a long time
According to the mayor of the municipality of Menaggio, Michele Spaggiari, it was obviously "an act of protest".
Solovyov had therefore acquired the villa five years ago.
Until the Russian attack, nobody in town knew who the owner was, Spaggiari told the AGI news agency.
At a second Soloviev villa in Pianello del Lario, blood-red paint was sprayed onto the facade and dumped into the pool.
The words "Murderer" and "No War" were written on the wall.
jpz/AFP/Reuters