Extremists backing Russian president Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine have issued death threats to Italy's foreign minister Luigi Di Maio over his strong criticism of the war and alleged crimes against civilians by Russian forces.
In social media posts including on the Telegram messaging tool, the extremists wrote they want see Di Maio "with a spanner in his brain", warning "we'll take you out" and "Putin will send someone to kill him".
The messages also invite Di Maio "to die you berk", "hang yourself", "have a bad death" and urge the like-minded "to pick him up and send him to the gulag".
Many of the posters' social media profile photos contain the letter Z, the symbol of Russian military forces in Ukraine, as well as images of coffins and axes.
