Sardinia, Italy—Feb. 6, 2024—A former governor of Sardinia has ignited a political firestorm, alleging that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is secretly involved in land acquisitions on the Italian island for renewable energy projects. The claims, leveled by Mauro Pili, a journalist with Sardinian Union, have spiraled into a complex web of conspiracy theories, linking the situation to everything from NATO bio-labs to Bill Gates.
Renewable Energy Investments Fuel Conspiracy Theories
The accusations center around Ukrainian energy company Dtek, which is investing in renewable energy projects in Sardinia, but the story has quickly morphed into unsubstantiated claims of a Ukrainian land grab.
Pili initially claimed the “long arm” of Zelensky was behind the investments, suggesting the Ukrainian president was personally orchestrating a scheme to acquire Sardinian land. However, it’s important to note that Dtek’s founder, billionaire Rinat Akhmetov, is actually a well-known political opponent of Zelensky. Pili presented Akhmetov as Zelensky’s oligarch, questioning, “Is Zelensky watching or is he complicit in this shopping in Sardinia?”
While Dtek’s projects face the same scrutiny as other foreign investments in Sardinia, Pili has exploited the situation, arguing that aid money sent to Ukraine is ending up in the hands of oligarchs and being used to steal land from Sardinians. This narrative has gained traction, evolving into increasingly outlandish theories.
From Land Deals to Bio-Labs and Beyond
Some now claim Zelensky is preparing to move to Italy and seek citizenship. The Ukrainian connection has also merged with pre-existing conspiracy myths, gaining momentum online. A video with nearly 120,000 views, shared by conspiracy theorist Franco Fracassi—a frequent guest on Byoblu— “reconstructs” the story, starting with the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol (previously owned by Akhmetov).
According to this version, a NATO bio-laboratory was located at Azovstal, later privatized and acquired by Hunter Biden. The bovine nodular dermatitis virus, currently causing an outbreak in Sardinia, allegedly originated in that lab. Farmers, facing livestock losses, would be forced to sell their land to the Ukrainian billionaire for renewable energy plants. This reconstruction also incorporates conspiracy theories about genetically modified mosquitoes from a Terni factory owned by Bill Gates.
- Bovine nodular dermatitis (LSD) is a zootechnical disease endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, and has spread to parts of Europe.
- The first official case in Italy was recorded in June 2025, in Sardinia.
- Effective vaccines against LSD exist, and there’s no evidence energy companies are exploiting the situation to acquire land.
Bovine nodular dermatitis (LSD), a disease affecting livestock, is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa but has recently appeared in parts of Europe. The first official case in Italy was recorded in Sardinia in June 2025. While outbreaks can lead to the culling of animals, effective vaccines exist, and there’s no evidence linking energy companies to exploiting the situation for land acquisition.
Despite this, the theory has spread beyond online circles. On August 8th, an event titled “Sardinia between energy speculation and bovine dermatitis” was held in Macomer. Speakers included local administrators, anti-renewables advocates, and Antonangelo Liori, former director of Sardinian Union. Liori previously criticized the “indoctrination of children with Lego wind turbines” on Facebook and denounced vaccination protocols for bovine dermatitis, claiming they were driven by “Big Pharma interests.”
What is the connection between renewable energy projects and the outbreak of bovine nodular dermatitis in Sardinia? There is no established connection. The claims linking the two are part of a broader conspiracy theory with no basis in fact.
