Who is Solovyov, the well-known Russian TV anchor loyal to Putin who insults Meloni

He is the megaphone of Kremlin propaganda, as well as one of the best-known faces of Moscow's pro-government media. After the heavy insults against the Prime Minister, the name of TV host Vladimir Solovyov is on everyone's lips. Meloni 'fascist', apostrophised with the term 'puta' ('prostitute'), traitor to her voters and Trump. "What an ugly, nasty weasel" (in Italian). This is not even the first time a woman has ended up in Solovyov's crosshairs: in the past few days Russian showgirls and influencers have also not been spared by Russian President Vladimir Putin's loyalist.

Born in 1963, Vladimir Solovyov is not only a television personality, but also the 'common thread' linking the Kremlin to Moscow's pro-government media. Of Jewish origin, his support for Putin has never been a secret. He took his first steps in radio in 1997, but fame came when he started as a TV pundit in Russian TV lounges.

He then joined the anchorman team of the country's most watched news programme. Since 2012 he has hosted the popular Evening with Vladimir Solovyov programme on Russia-1, from where he shoots his arrows at Europe, NATO and various international leaders. A programme he often hosts while wearing a jacket with the Soviet hammer and sickle. He is also a writer. His CV also includes several publications with unequivocal titles such as We are Russians, God is with us, or even Enemies of Russia and Putin, a guide for empaths

Solovyov knows Italia, and very well too. Investigations by Alexej Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation - an anti-Putin investigative organisation - revealed that the TV presenter owns two villas on Lake Como worth EUR 8 million, which were later seized, and that he also had an Italian residence certificate. One of the two residences subsequently went up in flames in 2022, an unlucky year for Putin's friend: at the same time he came under sanctions from the EU, the USA, Canada and Great Britain. But Italian TV viewers are also familiar with him, because Solovyov has also been a guest on Mediaset's television salons, guest on Diritto e rovescio on Rete 4.