LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2020) The Russian Embassy in London on Tuesday expressed regret over slanted reporting on Moscow's efforts to assist Italy in the fight against COVID-19 by the UK's Financial Times newspaper.
Earlier in the day, the news outlet published an article claiming that Russia helping Italy is a political ploy. The embassy, on its part, recalled that Moscow is helping Rome after the latter's request and in accordance with existing agreements.
"The assistance that is being rendered to Italy by us is a gesture of solidarity and is aimed at supporting the friendly Italian people who are in an extremely complicated situation due to the coronavirus and are forced to selflessly fight against the spread of the infection," the embassy said in a statement, adding that the experience received by the Russian medical professionals in Italy will also help fight the disease at home.
It noted that Italy also asked for help from other countries, such as China.
"We are lamenting that, in such conditions, certain journalists and experts are trying to find some negative angle and view basic human gestures exclusively through the prism of force and state competition," the embassy concluded.
On March 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on the COVID-19 situation. After that, Russia sent its epidemiologists to help stem the spread of the coronavirus disease.
