Report
Lithuania Monthly: Defense Budget Increase Sparks Disinformation
Lithuania’s decision to increase defence spending to 5–6% of GDP has sparked disinformation campaigns, with pro-Kremlin media portraying it as reckless and harmful to the economy. Social media narratives claim the move will increase taxes, hurt public services, and benefit NATO over Lithuania. Critics, including political figures, question NATO’s influence and Lithuania’s priorities, while YouTube and social media amplify misleading claims about personal savings and economic fallout. This controversy highlights how strategic decisions are weaponized to fuel public division and distrust.
Monthly Reports
Lithuania Monthly: Defense Budget Increase Sparks Disinformation
Lithuania’s decision to increase defence spending to 5–6% of GDP has sparked disinformation campaigns, with pro-Kremlin media portraying it as reckless and harmful to the economy. Social media narratives claim the move will increase taxes, hurt public services, and benefit NATO over Lithuania. Critics, including political figures, question NATO’s influence and Lithuania’s priorities, while YouTube and social media amplify misleading claims about personal savings and economic fallout. This controversy highlights how strategic decisions are weaponized to fuel public division and distrust.
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Latvia Monthly: Kremlin-Aligned Channels Exploit Trump’s Statements
In January Kremlin-aligned Telegram channels used the beginning of Trump’s presidency to advance narratives predicting dramatic global changes that would benefit Russia, including American retreat from global leadership, European fragmentation, and NATO’s weakening. These channels specifically target Baltic states, using humor and dismissive rhetoric to claim that Trump’s US will abandon the Baltics.
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Estonia Monthly: Tightening Scrutiny on TikTok
In January 2025, Estonia intensified its stance on TikTok, citing growing concerns over data security and disinformation. While the app had already been banned on government-issued devices since April 2023, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called for a broader European ban, emphasizing the risks posed by data collection and the spread of biased content. His statement aligns with Estonia’s proactive approach to cybersecurity and reflects wider European discussions on regulating social media to combat disinformation and protect user data.
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Lithuania Monthly: Make russia Small Again
The disqualification of Lithuanian athlete Kornelija Dūdaitė from the World Functional Sports Championships sparked widespread debate, highlighting the entanglement of sports and global politics. Celebrated at home for her bold stance against Russian athletes competing under their national symbols, Dūdaitė faced intense criticism from Kremlin-aligned actors who labeled her actions as Russophobic. This incident underscores how geopolitical tensions permeate even the sporting arena, with reactions ranging from admiration to condemnation on a global scale.
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Latvia Monthly: The Russophobia Narrative
In December, Kremlin-aligned social media continued pushing narratives portraying Latvia as a Russophobic, undemocratic failed state while also amplifying Donald Trump’s foreign policy statements to normalize Russia’s aggressive policies. These channels also leveraged Trump’s statements about potential US territorial expansion to legitimize Russia’s own territorial aggression and portray international relations as purely transactional.
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Estonia Monthly: Estlink-2 Incident Sparks Disinformation Surge
In December 2024, the Estlink-2 undersea power cable between Estonia and Finland suffered significant damage, sparking geopolitical tensions and a surge in disinformation. Investigations pointed to the Russian oil tanker Eagle S as the likely culprit, while NATO and the EU raised concerns about critical infrastructure security. Simultaneously, Kremlin-aligned disinformation campaigns sought to deflect blame, spreading conspiracy theories that framed the incident as a Western fabrication to justify increased military spending and NATO presence. These narratives aimed to undermine public trust and sow division across Europe.
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Lithuania Monthly: Kremlin Narratives Exploit Protests to Undermine Democracy
Throughout November 2024, Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania amplified anti-government narratives, tying them to recent parliamentary election results and protests. These outlets framed events as evidence of systemic instability and exploited them to spread disinformation, fostering division and undermining democratic institutions.
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Latvia Monthly: Conspiracy Theories Target US-Latvia Relations
Kremlin-aligned channels and local conspiracy networks are leveraging political uncertainty, particularly Donald Trump’s election, to spread disinformation about US-Latvia relations and foreign policies. False claims about US military support, embassy services, and “globalist” conspiracies aim to sow fear and distrust, exploiting historical geopolitical anxieties and feeding into anti-Western narratives.
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Estonia Monthly: KOOS/Вместе Leader Exploits Russophobia Claims
At the World Congress of Compatriots in Moscow, KOOS/Вместе leader Oleg Ivanov threatened to form a “people’s front” to defend Russian-speakers in Estonia, accusing the Estonian government of Russophobia and voter disenfranchisement. His remarks, tied to the case of imprisoned party leader Aivo Peterson, signal a push for influence in Estonia’s local elections and align with the party’s broader narrative of human rights advocacy for Russians.
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