The dispatch of Russian aid to Italy was widely covered on Russian state television, with each step of the way filmed and broadcast on the main TV channels.

Russia’s defence ministry would not release the full list of the supplies sent to Italy but said they included a mobile lab for testing for viruses, disinfecting equipment and unspecified equipment designed to “help patients with coronavirus.”

The defence ministry issues a daily bulletin about its activities in Italy, recounting how the Russian specialists have helped to disinfect hospitals and nursing homes.

As well as General Kikot, who has worked on responding to anthrax outbreaks, the team is reported to include Colonel Gennady Eremin, an expert in bacteriological warfare who worked on the swine flu crisis, and Colonel Viacheslav Kulish, an expert in biological agent protective gear.

A Kremlin spokesman dismissed reports suggesting that Moscow sent the mission in the hope that Italy would use its influence to get the EU to lift sanctions against Russia.

“There certainly isn’t any discussion of any conditions or hopes or expectations,” Dmitry Peskov said last week.

“Italy does need large amounts of aid, and what Russia is doing is providing the help that we can give. It’s absurd to suggest that we’re hoping for something else in return, that’s not the case.”

Luigi Di Maio, Italy’s foreign minister, has bristled at criticism over accepting help from Russia, saying that in such a critical moment, all assistance is welcome.

The Russians may also be trying to find out more about the deadly nature of Covid-19 in order to better fight the virus in their own country, said Germano Dottori, professor of strategic studies at LUISS University in Rome. “This is a fact-finding mission by Russia,” he said.