Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova once again attacks Sergio Mattarella.

Speaking on Russian state TV, he said that the words of the Italian President at the University of Marseille will not be left "without consequences," according to the official Russian agency Ria Novosti.

"During a conference at one of the educational institutions, he said that he believes that Russia can be equated with the Third Reich. This cannot and will never be left without consequences ," the spokeswoman for Russian diplomacy said, according to Ria Novosti.

"This is being told to us by a person who cannot but know how many Italian soldiers killed our grandfathers and great-grandfathers on our territory during the Second World War under Nazi banners and slogans," Zakharova said, according to Ria Novosti. "On what basis is this being said in the year of the 80th anniversary of our victory? It was woven from the lives of millions of Soviet citizens who not only liberated their homeland and our country, but also liberated them from Nazism," Zakharova said.

(Unioneonline/vl)

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