Report
Lithuania Monthly: Kremlin-Aligned Media Spins Kursk Operation to Stoke Anti-Western Sentiment
September saw an uptick in Kremlin-aligned Lithuanian media activity, with Ukraine-related topics and anti-government narratives dominating the disinformation landscape. A particularly heated controversy emerged after television presenter Algis Ramanauskas made inflammatory remarks about Russian-speaking communities, which sparked public outrage and further fueled the narrative of ethnic tension.
Weekly Reports
Lithuania Weekly: “Foxpay” scandal and elections echoes
Lithuanian prosecutors have launched a major investigation into financial technology company Foxpay, suspecting property crimes and corruption. Key individuals, including Ieva Trinkūnaitė and Mindaugas Navickas, have been detained amid allegations of money laundering and bribery. Meanwhile, Kremlin-aligned media focused on election transparency concerns and highlighted claims of a mass surrender by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region, further attempting to undermine Ukraine’s war effort.
Read moreLatvia Weekly: Narratives of NATO Distrust and EU Criticism Amid Migrant Debate
During the examined week, key narratives centered on distrust in NATO unity and negative sentiment toward EU policies on migration and climate change. An opposition party member claimed that while Eastern Europe faces war on its borders, Western Europe battles a “war on its streets” caused by migrants, described as uncivilized and a societal threat. TikTok remained the leading platform for reach and engagement, especially among Russian and Latvian-speaking audiences, while activity on X (formerly Twitter) declined.
Read moreEstonia Weekly: Estonia Faces Allegations of Corruption and Inequality
This week saw strong anti-government sentiment, with claims that Estonia and the West are propaganda tools for Ukraine. Most posts focused on the 2025 budget, alleging tax increases for the poor and cuts for the wealthy, alongside accusations of European Parliament corruption and police inaction.
Read moreLithuania Weekly: Elections finally taking place
Last week’s media focus was on the Parliament elections, with many candidates adopting anti-government positions. Petras Gražulis, an MEP, posted Facebook reels criticizing the ruling government and promoting his nationalist party. Irma Gajauskaitė, a candidate from the Union of People and Justice, was detained after encouraging violence in a Facebook video. As election results began to come in, discussions about the transparency of the process surfaced, and anti-government narratives are expected to continue until the second round.
Read moreMonthly Reports
Lithuania Monthly: Kremlin-Aligned Media Spins Kursk Operation to Stoke Anti-Western Sentiment
September saw an uptick in Kremlin-aligned Lithuanian media activity, with Ukraine-related topics and anti-government narratives dominating the disinformation landscape. A particularly heated controversy emerged after television presenter Algis Ramanauskas made inflammatory remarks about Russian-speaking communities, which sparked public outrage and further fueled the narrative of ethnic tension.
Read moreLatvia Monthly: Opposition Spreads Misinformation About Kamala Harris and the Equality Act
A member of the Latvian opposition party shared an AI-generated image alongside false claims about Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. The post misleadingly alleges that Harris would pass the “Equality Act” to allow men access to women’s private spaces and promote gender reassignment surgery for young adults. These claims, however, distort the true purpose of the Act, which aims to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
Read moreEstonia Monthly: Misleading Narrative on Baltic Poverty and EU Integration
Svyatoslav Knyazev argues that Baltic countries have suffered economic decline since joining the European Union. While the article highlights certain challenges, it fails to consider the broader context of Baltic successes, such as digital innovation and EU-driven modernization. Knyazev’s claim that “Europe is impoverishing the Baltics” overlooks key reforms, EU development funds, and geopolitical factors influencing their pivot away from Russia.
Read moreLithuania Monthly: Financial Misconduct Allegations Shake Lithuanian Crowdfunding Platform
Lithuanian crowdfunding platform Contribee faced allegations of financial misconduct after reports revealed that shareholder Gediminas Ratkevičius misappropriated over 130K euros from the Blue/Yellow NGO, which supports Ukraine.
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