Main narratives:
- General anti-government sentiments;
- The government is corrupt;
- Questioning the country’s security;
- The incompetence of the current government.
Overview:
Over the past week, Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania again shifted their primary focus from Ukraine to amplifying anti-government sentiment within the country. The most widely circulated and engaged content across pro-Kremlin social media channels featured a selectively headlined article quoting Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė. The headline highlighted her remark that “if we don’t want to import soldiers, we will have to rely on women,” a line extracted out of context and used to ignite a wave of resentment online.
The article’s misleading framing triggered a notably high level of engagement, with the comments section alone generating thousands of reactions, a significant number per single comment. Among the top-rated comments were aggressive personal attacks, such as “President Nausėda must be the biggest idiot to appoint such lunatics as ministers,” alongside broader efforts to discredit both Šakalienė and the government as a whole. Although the body of the article offered a more nuanced explanation regarding the possible inclusion of women in military service in the future, this was largely overshadowed by the provocative headline and its reception, polarizing debate over national defense policies.
In parallel, President Gitanas Nausėda came under additional scrutiny from pro-Kremlin outlets, particularly for proposing an initiative to enhance healthcare benefits for former presidents. This move was depicted as self-serving and elitist, further reinforcing narratives that portray Lithuanian leadership as detached from public needs and inclined to corruption.
