Italy Recognizes Holodomor as Genocide
Italian senators have voted to recognize the 1930s famine that affected millions in Ukraine, during the time of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, as a "genocide," a move that has been welcomed by Kyiv.
According to Barrons, the resolution was passed with 130 votes in favor, none against, and four abstentions. It aligns with a similar text approved by the lower house of parliament's foreign affairs committee in February.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba expressed his gratitude, posting "Grazie mille" (thank you very much) on Twitter, which has been renamed X.
"This significant step restores historical justice, honors millions of victims, and warns future generations against the crime of genocide," he wrote.
The "Holodomor" of 1932-33, which translates to "death by hunger" in Ukrainian, is regarded by Kyiv as a deliberate act of genocide by the Stalinist regime aimed at destroying the peasantry.
During Stalin's forced "collectivization" campaign, grain and other food products were confiscated, leaving millions of people to starve.
Moscow rejects Kyiv's claims and places the events in the broader context of famine that affected regions in Central Asia and Russia.
The Russian Embassy in Rome published a post on Facebook urging lawmakers not to equate the Holodomor with hunger, lacing its appeal with a heavy dose of Kremlin propaganda. "We hope that Italian senators, unlike their colleagues in the lower house, will demonstrate foresight and a broad perspective on historical matters, rather than succumbing to the promotion of political-ideological myths, fueled by the Ukrainian authorities to please ultra-nationalists, neo-Nazis, Russophobes, and their Anglo-American masters."
Historians disagree on the exact death toll of the Holodomor (which was caused by Stalin's plan to break the resistance of peasant collectivization by requisitioning harvests and forcibly preventing starving Ukrainians from seeking food). However, estimates range from 2 to 5 million. Nevertheless, the embassy's post dismissed the Holodomor as a "general tragedy."
"Those who persistently, and not in the most appropriate manner, advocate the idea of the 'Holodomor-genocide' are not interested in scientific accuracy and historical truth. Instead, they resort to manipulations and distortions, falsifying data on the number of victims."
"All of this is done with one purpose: to maximally divide the peoples united by millennia of historical, cultural, and spiritual connections," which reflects the Kremlin's rejection of the concept of Ukrainian statehood and likely served as one of the pillars for Vladimir Putin's decision to invade the neighboring country.
Italian Foreign Minister (and Deputy Prime Minister) Antonio Tajani dismissed the Kremlin's statements. "We must keep the dialogue with Moscow open, but such letters will be returned to the sender," he stated.
As reported by The Gaze, since Russia's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the question of recognizing the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as genocide has gained momentum in several countries.
During this time, the parliaments of the UK, Slovakia, Belgium, Ireland, Romania, Moldova, the Czech Republic, Germany, Iceland, France, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, and Croatia have recognized the Holodomor as a genocide against the Ukrainian people.
In total, 28 countries worldwide, along with the European Parliament, have recognized the Holodomor in Ukraine as a genocide. The European Parliament adopted the corresponding resolution on December 15, 2022. European lawmakers also called on Russia, as the successor of the USSR, to apologize for the actions of the Soviet regime against Ukraine.