Italian Defense Minister Guido Croceto on Monday accused Russia’s Wagner mercenary company of playing a role in boosting migration flows to Europe to punish EU member states he says support Ukraine.

“The exponential growth of the phenomenon of migration from African shores is partly, but not insignificantly, due to Wagner’s clear strategy of hybrid warfare (…), which uses its significant weight in African countries,” said Mr. Crosetto, Minister. Statement in defense of Italy’s far-right coalition government.

“Since the EU, NATO and the West have realized that cyber attacks is part of the global conflict unleashed by the war in Ukraine, it is now necessary to realize that on the southern European frontthe situation is getting more dangerous every day,” he continued.

He warned that “uncontrolled and incessant immigration (…) has become a vehicle for striking at the most vulnerable countries, primarily Italy”, for their “geostrategic choice”.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani appeared to echo that position on Monday, on the sidelines of his visit to Israel, noting that “many migrants” arrive on Italian shores “from Wagner-controlled areas.”

Italy’s September elections were dominated by a far-right alliance with a decidedly anti-immigration line. The head of the Brothers of Italy (FdI), Giorgia Meloni, is now the country’s prime minister.

Italy, a member of the EU and NATO, has been providing support to Kyiv, including military support, since the beginning of the Russian army’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.