On February 3, 2023, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) released an investigative report unveiling a coordinated operation by the ‘International Agency for Current Policy’ (IACP), led by Russian parliament insider Sargis Mirzakhanian, to influence European politics and civil society and garner support for the annexation of Crimea. In the Italian regional councils of Veneto, Lombardy and Liguaria, politicians like the far-right Stefano Valdegamberi were paid to promote IACP-drafted motions calling for an end to European sanctions against Russia. Additionally, IACP leveraged its connections to publish articles in local tabloids that legitimized the annexation of Crimea. IACP also organized a luxury trip for Italian politicians and businesspeople to Crimea, paid for by the Kremlin-linked construction company Granel, that facilitated talks to bring Russian money to Italy in industries like construction, steel, and wine – violating European sanctions imposed after the annexation of Crimea.