Report
Lithuania Weekly: Amplifying Žemaitaitis Hate Speech and Targeting Ukraine Support in Lithuania
This week, Kremlin-aligned media intensified efforts to exploit divisive rhetoric in Lithuania – from portraying MP Žemaitaitis as a victim of “leftist attacks” to amplifying Ignas Vėgėlė’s remarks questioning the Ukrainian flag in Seimas. These narratives, paired with the mocking of opposition appeals and nationwide protests, reflect a broader strategy to deepen polarization, discredit political actors, and undermine support for Ukraine.
Weekly Reports
Lithuania Weekly: Amplifying Žemaitaitis Hate Speech and Targeting Ukraine Support in Lithuania
This week, Kremlin-aligned media intensified efforts to exploit divisive rhetoric in Lithuania – from portraying MP Žemaitaitis as a victim of “leftist attacks” to amplifying Ignas Vėgėlė’s remarks questioning the Ukrainian flag in Seimas. These narratives, paired with the mocking of opposition appeals and nationwide protests, reflect a broader strategy to deepen polarization, discredit political actors, and undermine support for Ukraine.
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Latvia Weekly: Disinformation Campaigns Keep on Targeting Istanbul Convention
Latvia’s conservative politicians have launched a disinformation campaign falsely claiming the violence prevention treaty promotes forced gender transitions for children, Marxist ideology, and the destruction of traditional values. These narratives closely mirror Russian information operations designed to portray Western liberal-democratic values as morally decadent threats to society, either deliberately amplifying or unwittingly enabling broader efforts to undermine Latvia’s European integration and democratic institutions.
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Estonia Weekly: Pro-Kremlin Narratives Amplify Treason Verdict and Anti-Ukraine Protests
Pro-Kremlin voices online portrayed the conviction of a Russian spy as political persecution and used it to question Estonia’s justice system. Meanwhile, KOOS activists staged an anti-exhibition protest in Tallinn, spreading it across Russian-language social media to amplify pro-Kremlin narratives.
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Lithuania Weekly: Kremlin-Aligned Media Exploit Adomavičius Resignation
Kremlin-aligned outlets seized on the backlash against newly appointed Culture Minister Ignotas Adomavičius, framing his rise as a “victory against the cultural elite.” While thousands protested and a petition opposing his appointment gained rapid traction, pro-Kremlin narratives mocked critics and praised Adomavičius as a defender of “traditional values.” Public figure Andrius Tapinas, who highlighted evidence questioning Adomavičius’s suitability, was singled out for personal attacks in Russian-language media.
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Latvia Weekly: Disinformation Fuels Opposition to the Istanbul Convention
Ainars Šlesers of party Latvia First propagates false narratives claiming the Istanbul Convention promotes a “117 gender policy” and threatens traditional families, when the treaty actually focuses solely on preventing violence against women and domestic violence. He employs aggressive rhetoric against political opponents, repeatedly comparing Progressive party members to “Lenin,” sharing digitally altered images of them, and using terms like “gangsters” and accusations of “aggression” and “brainwashing” to delegitimize those who support the Convention.
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Estonia Weekly: Narva Concert Ban Triggers Kremlin Narrative Push
Pro-Kremlin commentators labeled Estonia’s planned ban on foreign-language–dubbed films and the cancellation of Russian singer Kamazz’s concert as acts of “Russophobia” and cultural repression.
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Lithuania Weekly: Kremlin Media Amplifies Culture Minister Controversy
Kremlin-aligned outlets seized on the backlash against newly appointed Culture Minister Ignotas Adomavičius, framing his rise as a “victory against the cultural elite.” While thousands protested and a petition opposing his appointment gained rapid traction, pro-Kremlin narratives mocked critics and praised Adomavičius as a defender of “traditional values.” Public figure Andrius Tapinas, who highlighted evidence questioning Adomavičius’s suitability, was singled out for personal attacks in Russian-language media.
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Latvia Weekly: Istanbul Convention Withdrawal Debate Revives Old Conspiracies
Despite Latvia’s ratification of the Istanbul Convention in 2023 and its proven benefits for violence victims, conservative politicians in preparation for parliamentary elections next year have launched a withdrawal campaign fueled by baseless disinformation claims that the treaty promotes “117 genders,” “pedophilia,” and moral decline. This deliberately misrepresents a violence prevention treaty as a conspiracy against traditional values echoing narratives disseminated by Russia.
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Estonia Weekly: Narva Museum Director Sentenced in Absentia by Moscow Court
Pro-Kremlin commentators mocked Estonia’s UN appeal as “Russophobic hysteria,” while parts of Russian-speaking social media backed Moscow’s prison sentence against the Narva Museum director.
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