Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova replied ironically to a journalist who asked for a comment on the appointment of former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhailo Fedorov as advisor to Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.
“If Gianni Rodari were alive, I think he would write a satirical novel on this, but I am not sure that it would be funnier than the real story,” Zakharova said. Gianni Rodari is an Italian author who is famous in Russia for his 1951 novel “Cipollino,” which was published earlier in Russia than in Italy. The novel follows the adventures of a clever young Onion boy who sets out to free his father, imprisoned unjustly by the tyrannical Prince Lemon. Written as a playful political allegory, the story populates its world with anthropomorphized fruits and vegetables representing social classes: the aristocratic Lemons and Oranges who rule harshly, and the humble Onions, Beans, Pumpkins, and other “little people” who are exploited and oppressed. As Cipollino travels through this world, he uncovers injustice, outwits corrupt officials, and rallies the poor and downtrodden to stand up against their oppressors, ultimately helping to overthrow the unjust regime.
