Main narratives:
- Undermining threat from Russia and Belarus;
- General anti-government sentiments;
- The incompetence of the current government.
Overview:
Over the past week, Kremlin-aligned media continued to focus on the aftermath of Eduardas Vaitkus’s visit to Belarus, portraying it as a legitimate act and turning the government’s criticism into an opportunity to mock and discredit Lithuanian authorities. After President Gitanas Nausėda labeled Vaitkus an example of the “fifth column,” the reaction in pro-Kremlin circles was swift – many redirected the label toward Nausėda himself, calling him a traitor, a “communist,” and accusing him of incompetence and hypocrisy. Social media users ridiculed his signature promises of a “welfare state”, questioned his leadership, and accused him of “stripping citizenship and taking away awards” from people while delivering nothing in return.
A key theme this week was the sarcastic and hostile rejection of the government’s claim that rising taxes and austerity are necessary for “deterring Russia.” Kremlin-aligned commentators mocked this logic, sharing slogans like “The more expensive everything is, the better we deter Russia” and accusing the government of hiding incompetence behind patriotic slogans. Proposed policies, such as the real estate tax, were ridiculed as elite-serving measures, with users saying, “Land Rovers for 120 thousand euros won’t buy themselves – let’s all chip in!”
These narratives, widely shared and engaged with, not only defended Vaitkus but also sought to portray Lithuania’s leadership as authoritarian, disconnected from the people, and cynically using the threat of Russia to justify economic pressure and silence dissent.
