Italy Points Finger at Russia for Migrant Influx

Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has accused Russia's Wagner group of using mercenaries as proxies to wage "hybrid warfare" and cause a surge in migration from African countries. The group is believed to be operating in several African countries and has been heavily involved in Russian efforts to capture the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. Italy has seen a significant increase in the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean, with 20,000 people reaching its shores so far this year. The country's hard-right government has been criticized for treating migrant boats as a law enforcement issue rather than a humanitarian one.