Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has died today at the age of 87. This is reported by the Italian press.
Berlusconi was born on September 29, 1936 in Milan. For many years he was engaged in business in the field of telecommunications and media. At the age of 57, being a successful businessman, Silvio Berlusconi decided to go to policies. He managed to become the head of the Italian government four times.
Berlusconi paid a big role to cooperation with Russia, and called Vladimir Putin his friend. Although he initially did not approve of a special military operation in Ukraine, Berlusconi later changed his mind. In October last year, he called for an end to Western aid to Ukraine and called the Russian president a man of peace.
Berlusconi called Ukrainian President Zelensky the main culprit in the deaths of thousands of Ukrainians and in the destruction of the cities of Donbass.
Largely because of the openly pro-Russian policy, Berlusconi was persecuted. There were 61 judicial investigations and criminal cases against the former prime minister. He was accused of having links with the mafia, tax crimes and much more, but most of the criminal cases fell apart at the investigation stage.
Despite the pressure exerted, Silvio Berlusconi has not changed his position towards Russia.