Report
Latvia Monthly: Disinformation enters mainstream politics
While Kremlin-aligned disinformation has long been present in Latvia’s information space, the more alarming development is how local politicians have brought these tactics into the center of mainstream politics, making conspiracy theories and fabricated threats core components of parliamentary debate. Conservative and populist politicians like oligarch Ainārs Šlesers now routinely claim the Istanbul Convention promotes “117 genders” and enables forced gender transitions for children, combining Russian-style narratives about Western moral decay with Trumpian manipulation tactics including personal ridicule, “Sorosist” conspiracies, and apocalyptic calls to “save Latvia.”
Weekly Reports
Lithuania Weekly: Kremlin-Aligned Media Targets Lithuanian Support for Ukraine and Belarus Opposition
This week, Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania intensified efforts to discredit the country’s support for Ukraine and portray the government as authoritarian and detached from its citizens.
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Latvia Weekly: Kremlin Narratives Persist as Istanbul Convention Disinformation Wanes
Disinformation campaigns about the Istanbul Convention are declining, but Kremlin-aligned narratives persist on social media, with Russia-leaning politicians exploiting migration and minority rights debates to undermine Latvia’s Western alignment and portray the country as a Western puppet lacking sovereignty.
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Estonia Weekly: Pro-Kremlin narratives target Estonia over border incident and entry ban
Pro-Kremlin commentators portrayed Estonia’s closure of the Saatse Boot road as an “anti-Russian” provocation and mocked the country’s perceived weakness. Similarly, the entry ban on Latvian politician Aleksejs Rosļikovs was used to amplify narratives about political repression and curtailed freedom of speech in Estonia.
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Lithuania Weekly: Amplifying Žemaitaitis Hate Speech and Targeting Ukraine Support in Lithuania
This week, Kremlin-aligned media intensified efforts to exploit divisive rhetoric in Lithuania – from portraying MP Žemaitaitis as a victim of “leftist attacks” to amplifying Ignas Vėgėlė’s remarks questioning the Ukrainian flag in Seimas. These narratives, paired with the mocking of opposition appeals and nationwide protests, reflect a broader strategy to deepen polarization, discredit political actors, and undermine support for Ukraine.
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Monthly Reports
Latvia Monthly: Disinformation enters mainstream politics
While Kremlin-aligned disinformation has long been present in Latvia’s information space, the more alarming development is how local politicians have brought these tactics into the center of mainstream politics, making conspiracy theories and fabricated threats core components of parliamentary debate. Conservative and populist politicians like oligarch Ainārs Šlesers now routinely claim the Istanbul Convention promotes “117 genders” and enables forced gender transitions for children, combining Russian-style narratives about Western moral decay with Trumpian manipulation tactics including personal ridicule, “Sorosist” conspiracies, and apocalyptic calls to “save Latvia.”
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Lithuania Monthly: Protests Erupt as the New Culture Minister Faces Public Backlash
The appointment of Ignotas Adomavičius as Minister of Culture has triggered widespread protests across Lithuania. What began as a political appointment has evolved into a nationwide debate about cultural freedom, democratic values, and the growing use of cultural policy as a tool of political power.
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Latvia Monthly: Disinformation Portrays Latvia as Both Militarily Weak and Recklessly Aggressive
Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels in September disseminated multiple narratives about Latvia, including portraying language education policies as discriminatory oppression, mocking military capabilities, and framing Russian military exercises as transparent while dismissing Baltic security concerns. Domestic disinformation intensified around the Istanbul Convention, with opposition politicians fabricating conspiracy theories about gender ideology and immorality to misrepresent a violence prevention treaty and undermine human rights protections.
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Estonia Monthly: Kremlin Court Targets Narva Museum Director
A Moscow court sentenced Maria Smorzhevskih-Smirnova, director of the Narva Museum, to ten years in prison in absentia for allegedly “spreading false information” about the Russian army. The case sparked intense debate across Russian-language social media, with Kremlin-aligned voices portraying criticism of Russia as “Nazism rehabilitation.” The incident highlights Moscow’s ongoing use of legal intimidation and information influence to shape narratives beyond its borders.
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