Russian army medical personnel sent to fight the coronavirus outbreak in Italy are heading home.
Defence minister Sergei Shoigu said the teams would start to leave on Thursday, according to Interfax news agency.
Russia sent equipment and 100 soldiers in March as the outbreak threatened to overwhelm northern Italy.
The deployment provoked controversy in Italy, as many saw it as a big propaganda move by Russia and questioned its practical use.
However, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte approved the operation – dubbed “From Russia With Love” by Moscow – after speaking with President Vladimir Putin.
Italy had been struggling to procure medical equipment and aid from neighbouring nations as deaths and new cases soared in March.
Members of the far-right League Party – which has repeatedly praised Russia in the past – called the support “precious” in the worst affected region, Lombardy. The Russian personnel worked at a field hospital in Bergamo and were based in and around the nearby city of Brescia.
But it is unclear how effective the mission was. Russia's military said its field hospital had taken in 93 patients and 62 of them had recovered and been discharged. Other personnel were filmed disinfecting buildings in the area.
Italy's La Stampa newspaper last month quoted unnamed sources as saying 80% of the Russian aid was “useless”.
Concerns were also expressed that a Russian military mission had been allowed to operate within 50km (30 miles) of…
