Far-right Italian politician protested in Poland for his admiration of Putin

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) - Far-right Italian politician Matteo Salvini was protested in Poland for his admiration of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Italian media reported Tuesday.

Wojciech Bakun, the mayor of Przemysl at the Polish-Ukrainian border, where Salvini went to show solidarity with Ukrainian refugees, refused to receive the Italian politician because of his well-known pro-Putin tendencies, according to the official news agency, ANSA.

"I will not receive you. Come with me to the border to condemn him (Putin),” said Bakun.

A small group of Italians at the town’s train station also protested Salvini, the agency added.

"We are not interested in the controversy of the Italian or Polish left. We are here to help those fleeing the war," said Salvini.

At least 406 civilians have been killed and 801 others injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, according to UN figures. But the international body has maintained that conditions on the ground have made it "difficult to verify" the true number of civilian casualties.

As many as 2 million people have fled to neighboring countries, according to the UN Refugee Agency.