Since the very onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Russia has been aiming to take advantage of the crisis through weaponizing its humanitarian aid, Estonian Defense Minister Juri Luik told the national ETV channel in an interview, urging against slashing the nation's defense expenses
HELSINKI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2020) Since the very onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Russia has been aiming to take advantage of the crisis through weaponizing its humanitarian aid, Estonian Defense Minister Juri Luik told the national ETV channel in an interview, urging against slashing the nation's defense expenses.
"We saw that from the very beginning, Russia's desire was to benefit [from the crisis] through propaganda," Luik said, claiming that this is why Russia provided assistance to virus-hit Italy.
The Russian mission in Italy, however, resulted in a failure, according to the minister.
"They delivered equipment that no one needed," he claimed.
Citing alleged Russian threat, Luik urged against reducing the defense spending despite the coronavirus-induced economic downturn.
"Our goal is to safeguard defense spending in the state budget because our geographical location has not changed, and Russian drills, especially in the air and at sea, have not become less frequent. Security problems have not changed," he argued.
The Russian leadership has repeatedly said that the assistance to other countries amid the pandemic is an exclusively humanitarian issue. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said that those claiming otherwise pursued own political purposes. He added that Moscow had never counted on sanctions lift while helping Italy, Serbia and other nations.
At the request of Rome, from March 22, Russian military virologists and epidemiological experts began arriving in Italy on 15 separate Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft. In total, eight medical and nursing teams came to the country to provide vital treatment and disinfect medical facilities and retirement homes in the most affected regions. The flights also delivered equipment for diagnostics and disinfection.
The mission finished on May 7. The President of the Lombardy Region, Attilio Fontana, said that Russian experts had arrived in Italy at "one of the most difficult moments," providing concrete assistance to their Italian colleagues. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has also personally thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for the assistance.
