Main narratives:
- The incompetence of the current government
- Undermining threat from Russia/Belarus
- General anti-government sentiments.
Overview:
This week, Kremlin-aligned media outlets targeting Lithuanian audiences concentrated their coverage on recent domestic and regional developments, particularly the political debates surrounding Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė and the ongoing tensions in Lithuania–Belarus relations. Disinformation channels sought to stir public concern through conspiracy-driven narratives, rhetorically asking whether Ruginienė is “an independent political figure or merely a new face in an old scripted performance.” Commentators speculated about “who truly drives the government’s agenda,” and mocked recent political messaging as “an air-balloon circus act” – a supposed distraction orchestrated by the authorities. Such framing aimed to portray the government as manipulative, allegedly manufacturing an “atmosphere of hysteria” to frighten Lithuanian citizens.
Significant attention was also devoted to the recent air balloon incidents that temporarily closed Lithuanian airports and disrupted local communities. Kremlin-aligned voices amplified this topic to question the government’s crisis management and foreign policy stance. They asked, “Why does Lithuania continue to choose confrontation with its neighbors?” – suggesting that the country’s leadership seeks conflict for its own political benefit rather than for national security.
High engagement was recorded under social media posts supporting politician Remigijus Žemaitaitis, who was portrayed as an alternative voice advocating “friendship” with Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka. These narratives framed Žemaitaitis as a pragmatic “problem-solver” who could allegedly address both “the contraband balloon issue” and Lithuania’s high electricity prices through closer ties with Minsk. This messaging sought to normalize cooperation with Belarus’s authoritarian regime and to erode public support for Lithuania’s current foreign policy direction.
