# Antonio Russo

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Italian journalist (1960–2000)

For the football player, see [Antonio Russo (footballer)](/source/Antonio_Russo_(footballer)).

Antonio Russo Born (1960-06-03)3 June 1960 Francavilla al Mare, Italy Died 16 October 2000(2000-10-16) (aged 40) Tbilisi, Georgia Occupations Reporter, Radical Radio Mother Beatrice Russo

**Antonio Russo** (3 June 1960 – 16 October 2000) was an Italian journalist and Vice-President of the International Press Free lance (FLIP),[1] who was murdered while covering the [Second Chechen War](/source/Second_Chechen_War).

## Career

Born in 1961 in [Chieti](/source/Chieti), ([Abruzzo](/source/Abruzzo)), Russo was taken from an [orphanage](/source/Orphanage) when he was about 6 years old. In the eighties, he left the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of [Pisa](/source/Pisa) in order to study at the Faculty of Philosophy at [Sapienza University of Rome](/source/Sapienza_University_of_Rome) in 1986. The same year, he founded, with a group of students, the magazine *[Philosophema](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Philosophema&action=edit&redlink=1)*, which he devoted much of his intellectual commitment.

After studying [philosophy](/source/Philosophy), he started doing [journalism](/source/Journalism) in the nineties, his first service being a report from [Siberia](/source/Siberia) (with [Radical Radio](/source/Radical_Radio)). He reported from Algeria during the years of bloody repression, [Burundi](/source/Burundi) and [Rwanda](/source/Rwanda) during the [Hutu-Tutsi war](/source/Rwandan_genocide). He documented the [Second Congo War](/source/Second_Congo_War), and then [Ukraine](/source/Ukraine), [Colombia](/source/Colombia), [Russia](/source/Russia),[2] [Algeria](/source/Algeria) and [Sarajevo](/source/Sarajevo) during the siege.[3]

Russo was also sent to [Kosovo](/source/Kosovo), where he was the only [Western](/source/Western_world) journalist in the region during the [NATO](/source/NATO) bombing. He documented the ethnic cleansing against [Albanians Kosovars](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Albanians_Kosovars&action=edit&redlink=1).

On that occasion, he was also the protagonist of a daring escape from the Serbian forces, joining a convoy of refugees from Kosovo with a direct train to [Macedonia](/source/Republic_of_Macedonia). The convoy stopped along the way and Antonio Russo reached [Skopje](/source/Skopje) on foot.[4] There was no [news](/source/News) of him for two days, and he was thought to have been lost.[5] On his return, he received two major journalism awards.[6]

Russians denied him entry to [Chechnya](/source/Chechnya), so Russo went to Georgia to cover crimes against civilians there.[7][8] He sent movies and correspondences to Radical Radio.

Russo also intended to interview [Vera Putina](/source/Vera_Putina), a woman who claimed [Vladimir Putin](/source/Vladimir_Putin) was her lost son.[9][10][11]

Russo was also investigating the Russian request for the [United Nations](/source/United_Nations) to expel the [Radical Party](/source/Transnational_Radical_Party), accused of meddling in the war in Chechnya. Russo planned to return to Rome by October 16 with the information he had gathered.

## Death

Antonio Russo died in the night between 15 and 16 October 2000 in [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(country)), where he was sent by Radical Radio to document the crimes in Chechnya. The [Farnesina](/source/Ministry_of_Foreign_Affairs_(Italy)) announced that his body was found on the edge of a country road, near the village of [Udzharma](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Udzharma&action=edit&redlink=1), 25km from Tbilisi (the same road leads to the [Vaziani Military Base](/source/Vaziani_Military_Base), where Russian forces were stationed at the time). The body was bruised and showed signs of torture, with techniques related to special military services. The autopsy revealed that Russo was killed by blows to the chest that caused fatal internal injuries. The [Commissioner](/source/Commissioner) [Nugzar Khambashidze](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nugzar_Khambashidze&action=edit&redlink=1) was in charge of the investigation.

Russo's apartment had been searched and looted; his laptop computer, mobile telephone, video camera, and three videotapes were missing.[12] Russo's friends believed that the [FSB](/source/Federal_Security_Service) was responsible for his death due to his discovery of unconventional weapons being used against children. According to his mother, Beatrice, Russo told her in a phone call before his death that he came into possession of a videotape documenting [war crimes](/source/Second_Chechen_War_crimes_and_terrorism) in Chechnya.[13]

## Recognition

Two films have been devoted to his work in Chechnya.[14] In May 2009, [Daniel Biacchessi](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Daniel_Biacchessi&action=edit&redlink=1) wrote the story of Antonio Russo in his book *Passione reporter*.

## Awards

1999, 10 October ([Mantua](/source/Mantua)) - "Prize Andrea Barbato] Ethics of objectivity" III° Edition[15]

1999, 28 May ([Sarteano](/source/Sarteano)) - VII° Journalist Award [Sarteano](/source/Sarteano) "Clean Pens".[16]

1999 - XX° [Ischia International Journalism Prize[17]

2001, April 11 - XXVI ° Journalism Prize Saint-Vincent organized by the friends of the house of game of [Saint-Vincent](/source/Saint-Vincent%2C_Aosta_Valley) with the High Patronage of the [President of the Republic](/source/President_of_Italy).[18]

2006, September 11 - Prize Witness for Peace

2012, October 15 ([Rome](/source/Rome)) - Prize Italy Human Rights "Global and Human Civilization"[19]

## Film

2003- was released in cinemas **L'inquilino di via Nikoladze** by the director [Massimo Guglielmi](/source/Massimo_Guglielmi) (UNESCO Prize 2005).

2004- was released in cinemas **Chechnya**, a film about the history of the war reporter, by Leonardo Giuliano with [Gianmarco Tognazzi](/source/Gianmarco_Tognazzi) in the role of Antonio Russo distributed by Stazione Marittima Spa and supported by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture ([Ministry of Culture](/source/Ministry_of_Culture_(Italy)))

## See also

- [Anna Politkovskaya](/source/Anna_Politkovskaya)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Flip (August 1, 2011). ["Antonio Russo"](http://www.flipnews.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4796:antonio-russo&Itemid=77). *flipnews.org*.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Eventi a cui ha partecipato Antonio Russo"](http://www-6.radioradicale.it/soggetti/antonio-russo?page=67). *radioradicale.it*. 1996.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Futuri.it (2001-01-19). ["La tecnologia? Deve essere funzionale ad arricchire le esperienze, altrimenti rischia di appiattire la comunicazione"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150518104054/http://www.mediamente.rai.it/biblioteca/biblio.asp?id=746&tab=bio). *mediamente.rai.it*. Archived from [the original](http://www.mediamente.rai.it/biblioteca/biblio.asp?id=746&tab=bio) on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2013-04-29.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Kosovo: Antonio Russo di Radio Radicale e' a Skopje"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160201232426/http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/kosovo-antonio-russo-di-radio-radicale-e-a-skopje). *radioradicale.it*. April 1, 1999. Archived from [the original](http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/kosovo-antonio-russo-di-radio-radicale-e-a-skopje) on February 1, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Russo, Antonio (April 2, 1999). ["Ho visto l'orrore di Pristina"](http://www.repubblica.it/online/fatti/russo/russo/russo.html). *repubblica.it*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Zola, Matteo. ["TSCHETSCHENIEN: Vor zehn Jahren wurde Antonio Russo getötet. Gegen das Vergessen"](http://www.eastjournal.net/tschetschenien-vor-zehn-jahren-wurde-antonio-russo-getotet-gegen-das-vergessen/3142). *East Journal*. Retrieved October 10, 2010.{{[cite journal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_journal)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Antonio Russo](http://cpj.org/killed/2000/antonio-russo.php). The Committee to Protect Journalists

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Antonio Russo](http://www.thejournalistsmemorial.org/%22?lang=en&pays_deces=94&date_mini=2000&date_maxi=2000&id_article=596) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120317071848/http://www.thejournalistsmemorial.org/%22?lang=en&pays_deces=94&date_mini=2000&date_maxi=2000&id_article=596) 2012-03-17 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). The Journalist Memorial.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-The_Telegraph_-_Putina_9-0)** [Could this woman be Vladimir Putin's real mother?](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/3568891/Could-this-woman-be-Vladimir-Putins-real-mother.html). The Telegraph. 2008-12-05

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Anticompromat_-_Putina_10-0)** [Vera Putina](http://www.anticompromat.org/putinav/felsht.htm)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] ([archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100616112833/http://anticompromat.org///putinav/felsht.html)). Anticompromat.org

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Partito Radicale, Rinascimento (October 30, 2000). ["Antonio russo: aveva scoperto le vere origini di putin, prt"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160201232426/http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/antonio-russo-aveva-scoperto-le-vere-origini-di-putin-prt). *radioradicale.it*. Archived from [the original](http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/antonio-russo-aveva-scoperto-le-vere-origini-di-putin-prt) on February 1, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [Antonio Russo](http://cpj.org/killed/2000/antonio-russo.php) - The Committee to Protect Journalists

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Was_reporter_killed_13-0)** [Gentleman, Amelia](/source/Amelia_Gentleman); [Carroll, Rory](/source/Rory_Carroll) (11 November 2000). ["Was reporter killed by Putin's secret service?"](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/nov/12/russia.ameliagentleman). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20221221052611/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/nov/12/russia.ameliagentleman) from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Article"](http://www.premioantoniorusso.com/a_russo_bio.html). *premioantoniorusso.com*.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Antonio Russo riceve il Premio Andrea Barbato"](http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/172275). *radioradicale.it*. October 10, 1999.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Antonio Russo riceve il VII° Premio Sarteano "Penne Pulite""](http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/184356). *radioradicale.it*. May 28, 1999.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["History"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100705143154/http://www.premioischia.it/Storia?lang=en). *Ischia International Journalism Prize*. Archived from [the original](http://www.premioischia.it/Storia?lang=en) on 5 July 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Quirinale: Consegnato alla memoria di Antonio Russo il 36° premio giornalistico Saint Vincent"](http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/192523). *radioradicale.it*. April 11, 2001.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Premio Italia diritti umani 2012 "Civiltà Globale e Diritti Umani""](http://www.radioradicale.it/premio-italia-diritti-umani-2012-civilta-globale-e-diritti-umani). *radioradicale.it*. October 17, 2011.

## External links

- [Antonio Russo](http://cpj.org/killed/2000/antonio-russo.php) - The Committee to Protect Journalists

- [Full video and transcription of last public speech of Antonio Russo](https://web.archive.org/web/20120319202227/http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/188696)

[Portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals):
- [Biography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Biography)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Antonio Russo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Russo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Russo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.