Report
Estonia Monthly: The Return of the ‘Russian Card’ Ahead of Municipal Elections
By June 2025, Estonia’s ruling coalition faced mounting internal tensions over cultural and social policy, with a proposal to abolish kindergarten fees exposing deeper divisions among the governing parties. As pressure mounted, opposition forces reignited debates around the treatment of Russian-speaking residents, accusing the government of pursuing de-Russification and cultural exclusion. With municipal elections looming, the ‘Russian card’ re-emerged as both a political weapon and a reflection of unresolved questions about identity, inclusion, and national cohesion.
Weekly Reports
Estonia Weekly: NATO Summit Fuels Kremlin Disinformation
Pro-Kremlin voices on social media depicted NATO as aggressive and divided, criticizing Baltic defence moves and mocking Western leadership. In Estonia, Russian-speaking groups amplified nuclear tensions and spread false claims about EU opposition to Ukraine’s membership to support Kremlin narratives.
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Latvia Weekly: MP’s Arrest Fuels Populist Narrative Online
Aleksejs Roslikovs transformed his detention by Latvia’s State Security Service on charges of assisting Russia and inciting hatred into a powerful social media narrative of political martyrdom, portraying himself as a persecuted victim fighting government oppression. His TikTok videos reframing the criminal investigation as evidence of his heroic resistance demonstrate how populist politicians can exploit legal troubles to strengthen their anti-establishment credentials and generate massive online engagement.
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Estonia Weekly: Kremlin Echoes Persist Over Church Law
Pro-Kremlin voices on Russian-speaking social media portrayed Estonia’s revised Churches and Congregations Act as continued state persecution of the Orthodox Church, reinforcing a narrative of religious oppression and general Russophobia. Simultaneously, they condemned the U.S. strikes in Iran as aggressive and hypocritical, using them to justify Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
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Lithuania Weekly: Pro-Kremlin Media Stirs Backlash Over Military Remarks
Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania shifted focus to domestic issues, fueling outrage with a headline quoting Defence Minister Šakalienė on women in the military. The quote, taken out of context, sparked intense online backlash. President Nausėda was also targeted over a proposal for presidential benefits, framed as elitist and corrupt.
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Monthly Reports
Estonia Monthly: The Return of the ‘Russian Card’ Ahead of Municipal Elections
By June 2025, Estonia’s ruling coalition faced mounting internal tensions over cultural and social policy, with a proposal to abolish kindergarten fees exposing deeper divisions among the governing parties. As pressure mounted, opposition forces reignited debates around the treatment of Russian-speaking residents, accusing the government of pursuing de-Russification and cultural exclusion. With municipal elections looming, the ‘Russian card’ re-emerged as both a political weapon and a reflection of unresolved questions about identity, inclusion, and national cohesion.
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Lithuania Monthly: German Brigade Arrival Triggers Wave of Kremlin-Backed Disinformation
The June deployment of Germany’s Panzerbrigade 45 to Lithuania marked a historic NATO milestone—but it quickly became a target for Kremlin-aligned disinformation. Pro-Kremlin media framed the move as foreign occupation, mocked German leadership, and used emotionally charged narratives to erode public trust in NATO. Economic and historical distortions further amplified efforts to undermine Lithuanian sovereignty and Western unity.
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Latvia Monthly: The Rise of the Alliance of Young Latvians
Fringe radical populist conspiracy political party Alliance of Young Latvians has successfully leveraged social media platforms to mainstream populist and Kremlin-aligned narratives about anti-Russian discrimination and government failure, transforming from a fringe political group into a potentially viable electoral force projected to cross the 5% threshold in Latvia’s upcoming municipal elections.
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Estonia Monthly: Victory Day Sparks Disinformation Surge in Narva and Tallinn
On 9 May 2025, pro-Kremlin disinformation efforts escalated sharply in Estonia, with Narva and Tallinn at the center. Narratives accusing Estonia of “erasing Soviet history” and suppressing Russian identity were amplified through staged videos and social media manipulation, while patriotic displays from across the border in Ivangorod clashed with Estonia’s public messaging. The events exposed ongoing tensions surrounding historical memory.
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