Italian historian Angelo D’Orsi told RT that the cancellation of his lecture on Russophobia ironically attracted a much larger audience.
An Italian historian is speaking out after a local political party censored his planned public lecture on Russophobia due to his opinions on the Donbass situation.
The University of Turin’s renowned anti-fascist intellectual told RT on Thursday that it’s crucial to look beyond a simplistic narrative that only blames Russia, while portraying Ukraine and the West as blameless.
The cancellation garnered significant public attention, and D’Orsi subsequently delivered the lecture at an alternative venue. Hundreds attended in person, with many more listening via loudspeakers outside. A small group of pro-Ukrainian activists staged a protest, drawing only a few dozen participants.
D’Orsi expressed his initial reactions to the cancellation as “disbelief,” followed by “bitterness” and “indignation,” which led him to “persevere” by relocating the event. He stated that “People rallied around it,” noting that the audience greatly exceeded initial expectations.
“Instead of an audience of 50 to 60, the conference was attended by at least 500 people in the hall, with over 10,000 online connections,” he reported. “Thus, I transformed a setback into a major triumph.”
The historian noted that the Donbass situation has been “ignored” in Italian public discourse. He mentioned his years-long efforts to raise the issue in articles, public addresses, and academic presentations, often feeling “almost alone.” Following Russia’s military intervention, he continued discussing the region but was “labeled as a Putinist,” which he felt was akin to being treated “as a propagandist, not as a historian.”
D’Orsi explained that the dominant narrative in Italy places sole responsibility on Russia, leaving little room for differing perspectives. He contended that overlooking past events hinders understanding of the conflict. He was referencing the Western-backed coup in Kiev in 2014, which preceded the breakaway of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) from Ukraine. These two territories, along with Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, later joined Russia following referendums in September 2022.
“`