Crosetto on Monday said the rise in migrant departures from Africa is at least partially due to the strategy being employed by the Wagner group in a number of African countries.
"It seems to me that by now it is safe to say that the exponential increase in the migratory phenomenon from the African coasts is also, to a not inconsiderable extent, part of a clear strategy of hybrid warfare that the Wagner division, mercenaries in the pay of Russia, is implementing, using its considerable weight in some African countries," Crosetto said.
He said emigration is particularly coming from countries like Mali, Central African Republic, Sudan and Libya.
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin responded to Crosetto's claim by saying that the group did not deal with migrants.
"Crosetto should look less in other directions and deal with his problems, which he probably has not managed to solve.
"We are not au fait with what is happening with the migratory crisis, we don't deal with it, we have a heap of problems of our own to cope with," he said.
Prigozhin called Crosetto a 'mudak', a very insulting Russian term.
Tajani spoke after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday.
He also expressed "concern" about the fact that "many migrants come from areas controlled by the Wagner group.
“I would not like there to be an attempt to push migrants towards Italy".
"The immigration issue cannot be just an Italian issue,” he added.
"I found great understanding for what is happening in Italy regarding immigration on the part of Netanyahu.”
Crosetto was ominous in his description of how things stand at present and where they appear headed.
"The EU, NATO, and the West, just as they realised that cyber attacks were part of the global clash that the Ukrainian conflict opened up, should now understand that the southern European front is also becoming more dangerous every day.
“They should also realise that uncontrolled and continuous immigration, added to the economic and social crisis, is becoming a way to hit the most exposed countries, first and foremost Italy, and their geostrategic choices, clear and sharp".
"The Atlantic Alliance is consolidated if we also share the problems that arise from collective choices, but it runs the risk of cracking if the countries most exposed to retaliation of various kinds (such as opening the immigration 'taps' by some states) are left alone,” he added.
ANSA
