Paratroopers captured the first Italian fighting for Russia. Before the war, he worked as a pizza chef.

This was reported by the Command of the Airborne Assault Troops.

The Italian's name is Gianni Chenni; he was discovered by Ukrainian paratroopers as part of a Russian group while on a mission. Some of the occupiers were eliminated, while others, including Chenni, were captured.

Before going to war, he worked in a restaurant in the Russian city of Samara. Journalists from the Italian outlet Today.it found out that Chenni hails from the Italian region of Campania, and he has a wife and two children.

In Samara, he worked as a pizza maker (pizzaiolo) at the Italian restaurant "Anima," owned by the Italian consul, Giangido Breddo. He confirmed that the captured Italian was his employee but later quit and moved south of Volgograd.

On the Instagram page of the Italian restaurant where he worked, there is a video featuring him. They also announced a joint pizza-making masterclass with Breddo.

Before arriving in Russia, he worked in Finland, and according to the Italian consul, he was regarded as a good pizza chef with prior experience.

"He was quite a character, a Neapolitan with an eccentric personality, and now knowing that he went to fight, I'm not surprised," Breddo said.

Today.it also claims that Chenni became the first Italian volunteer in the Russian army to be captured by Ukrainian forces. However, his motivation for joining the fight against Ukraine remains unknown, the journalists report.

The Airborne Assault Troops suspect that the Italian has apparently "become yet another victim of Russian propaganda."