Main narratives:
- Latvia is Russophobic;
- Support for Ukraine is bad.
Overview:
The “Antifascists of Pribaltics” Telegram channel employs several narratives designed to portray Latvia as systematically anti-Russian and aligned with Ukrainian “extremism.” The channel presents alleged excerpts from Latvian textbooks containing derogatory language about Russians, claiming these represent official educational policy that promotes hatred against Russian speakers. Whether these textbook excerpts are authentic, manipulated, or entirely fabricated remains unclear, but they serve to construct a narrative of institutional Russophobia within Latvia’s education system.
The channel amplifies inflammatory social media posts allegedly from Latvian citizens calling for violence against Russians, particularly targeting cities with large Russian-speaking populations like Daugavpils and Rēzekne. These posts are presented as representative of mainstream Latvian sentiment during election periods. The messaging also includes quotes attributed to Latvian politicians, such as the statement on Twitter from a new MP from the Progressive Party, Selma Lavrence: “The more Russian speakers die, the better.” These statements are used to portray Latvia’s political establishment as genocidal toward Russian speakers.
Additionally, the channel promotes conspiracy theories about European Union policies, claiming Latvia has been “handed over” to what they term the “Kiev junta,” suggesting Latvia is a puppet of the EU. The channel’s commentary suggests that Russia is growing stronger while Europe weakens, hinting at potential future Russian military action while characterizing current conflicts as beneficial to Russian strategic interests. This content serves to justify Russian aggression while demonizing Latvia’s democratic institutions and sovereignty.
