Some of these individuals remain unsanctioned despite their role in supporting Russia's military actions or profiting from state corruption, and continue to benefit from EU subsidies.
Among the owners of wineries in Tuscany, Piedmont, and Umbria are individuals with links to the Russian military-industrial complex and suppliers to the Russian Ministry of Defence. These include Leonid Reiman, the former Communications Minister, who was involved in a Spanish trial of the Russian mafia and now supplies communications equipment to the Russian military. Another enthusiastic winemaker is Konstantin Nikolaev, owner of the largest private sniper rifle manufacturer in Russia. His company is involved in arms smuggling.
The article explores how profits from the illegal privatisation of enterprises and inflated utility rates in Russia are being invested in luxury wineries in Italy. It was also the first to analyse how, despite the war in Ukraine, Russian oligarchs continued to receive EU agricultural subsidies totalling more than €1 million. It also reveals symbolic events such as pro-Kremlin gatherings in Italian and the dissemination of propaganda narratives through winery events.
Impact
Following the investigation, a parliamentary inquiry has been launched in Italy. Federica Onori, an elected deputy of Action in Europe, asked Tommaso Foti, the Minister for European Affairs, the South, Cohesion Policies and the PNRR, a question on the subject. She stated, "It is unacceptable that European and PNRR funds can end up, even indirectly, with individuals or entities associated with Russian oligarchs who are subject to international sanctions. Yet, according to an investigation by Irpimedia, this appears to be the case for some vineyards in Tuscany".
Photo Credit: The Insider
