ROME. “I would never have imagined such a step from Putin, I was a great admirer of him, but you cannot set in motion a war machine of that kind against his brothers. How can you not change your mind about Putin, after what he did? ».
To “A Sheep Day”, come on Rai Radio1, Al Bano Carrisi, much loved in Russia, where he has performed several times, announces the top at his concerts and sends a message to Putin: «Stop while you are in time». «He doesn’t realize – continues the artist from Cellino San Marco – that he is also working against himself, he is not defending anything: in the eyes of the world he is destroying his image of him. It is not acceptable to see what is happening in Ukraine, with attacks also on hospitals, tanks and children dying. No, this is not acceptable ».
War in Ukraine, talks in Turkey unsuccessful. WHO: 24 hospitals affected. The Mariupol massacre: “1207 dead in the streets”. Draghi to Putin: “Enough bombs on civilians”
UPDATES FROM UKRAINE FROM FRANCESCA MANNOCCHI, MONICA PEROSINO. DIRECTED BY CHIARA BALDI, DANIELA LANNI, ROBERTO PAVANELLO
Al Bano says he is in constant contact with various Russian friends: «A very important character – he says – told me only one sentence in Italian: ‘It’s a slaughterhouse’». Regarding the possibility that Russian public opinion could intervene on Putin to block him, Al Bano is convinced that “sooner or later they will do it, they will dump everything on Putin’s shoulders”. Indeed: “he should be attentive to his life, precisely on the part of those who until a few months ago idolized and served him.” But on the economic sanctions he believes: «They give up as much time as they can, Russia is so rich that they can do without it. I believe that we risk paying more sanctions than them ”.
This year, in October, Al Bano was supposed to perform in Russia, in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but he will not go up on any stage: “I think it will take at least two or three years for things to recover.” Concerts canceled or personal choice ? “There is a mutual agreement between me and the impresario: if they asked me now I would say no, you can’t sing when someone is killed. Now Vladimir Putin dictates the law”.