Vladimir Putin, one of the late Italian prime minister’s closest associates, told how he cut out the heart of a hunted deer and gave it to his Italian friend in an interview published today in the Corriere della Sera newspaper.
Fabrizio Ciccito, a former senator from Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party, said the incident happened in 2013 when Putin went poaching Berlusconi.
The two claimed to be close, and Berlusconi defended Putin even after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Russian president described the media mogul-turned-politician as a “true friend” after his death in June last year.
According to Cicchito, Berlusconi accepted Putin’s offer to go hunting despite never having touched a gun in his life. While they were in the forest, the Russian president gave Berlusconi a gun and they walked together in the snow. When Putin saw two deer, he encouraged Berlusconi to aim. -It’s yours. Shoot, Putin told Berlusconi. When the Italian refused, Putin shot both deer.
Then Putin walked down the slope holding a knife. He cut open the animal and took out its heart. He then ordered his entourage to serve Berlusconi a wooden platter on which he placed a bloody piece of meat, saying it would be a special dish.
Berlusconi hid behind a tree to vomit.