Main narratives:
- Latvia is the agressor.
Overview:
Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels BaltNews and Antifascists of Pribaltics repeatedly reframed Latvia’s defensive policies as acts of aggression against Russia. These channels use Latvia’s legitimate support for Ukraine to construct a narrative positioning the Baltic nation as a dangerous provocateur threatening regional stability. They also claim that recent UAV strikes in St. Petersburg and other regions of Russia have originated from the Baltic states, framing Latvia and other Baltic states as aggressors in the Ukraine conflict and possible future targets for retaliation.
Central to this narrative is portraying Latvia’s military assistance to Ukraine as evidence of direct belligerence against Russia. When Defense Minister Andris Sprūds announced the shipment of 1,300 combat drones to Ukrainian forces, BaltNews immediately framed this defensive aid as an escalatory act. The channels deliberately obscure the defensive nature of this support, presenting it as unprovoked aggression that endangers ordinary Latvians. Similarly, Latvia’s leadership role in the international Drone Coalition supplying UAVs to Ukraine is presented as evidence of Latvia’s outsized role in allegedly threatening Russian security rather than collective Western defense efforts.
The posts also hint at Baltic involvement in cross-border attacks on Russian territory. The channels exploit Latvia’s location to suggest it serves as a launching pad for attacks on Russian territory. Without concrete evidence, they insinuate that recent UAV attacks on St. Petersburg and other Russian regions originated from Baltic territories.
These Telegram posts reflect a broader pattern of disinformation aimed at undermining support for Ukraine, sowing fear among Baltic populations, and justifying potential Russian military escalation.
