Report
Lithuania Weekly: “Day of Shame” Protest Exploited to Push Conspiracies About Elite Control
Over the past week, Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania amplified the “Day of Shame” protest in Vilnius, portraying it as evidence of national unrest and societal collapse. Both the organisers and participants were targeted: accused of inciting chaos, mocked as “dim-witted” or “unemployed,” and discredited as representatives of genuine civic discontent. Central to these narratives was the revival of conspiracy theories about Lithuania being secretly controlled by the so-called “Landsbergiai clan,” a trope used to delegitimise public activism and suggest citizens are manipulated by hidden elites.
Weekly Reports
Lithuania Weekly: Ramanauskas vs. Russian Speakers
Algis Ramanauskas’ controversial comments about Russian-speaking people on his YouTube talk show sparked outrage. His remarks, which included hostile language about Russian culture, quickly circulated in the media and ignited public debates on tolerance, hate speech, and Russophobia. Despite his later apology, the controversy underscored deeper societal issues concerning the integration of Russian-speaking minorities in Lithuania.
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Latvia Weekly: Bureaucracy, Language Policy, and COVID-19 Spark Debate
Domestic issues dominated the narrative, focusing on bureaucracy, corruption, mandatory COVID-19 vaccines for children, and the use of the Russian language in public spaces. Opposition parties criticized the parliamentary decision to exclude the Russian language from ATMs, labeling it as Russophobic and inconvenient for Ukrainian refugees.
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Estonia Weekly: Continued Russophobia Allegations
Social media has been abuzz with increasing anti-government sentiment, with many posts criticizing the current administration’s handling of the economy, while official sources have reported a surge in claims of Russophobia in Estonia, particularly in relation to the removal of Soviet-era monuments and burial sites.
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Lithuania Weekly: Accelerating Election Campaign
significant social media activity came from controversial politician Petras Gražulis, who posted 31 Facebook Reels, harshly criticizing the government and promoting his coalition “Kelkis Lietuva”.
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Latvia Weekly: Opposition’s Support for Trump’s Presidential Campaign
During the examined week, discussions around corruption, economic growth, LGBTQ+ rights, and COVID-19 dominated domestic content. Notably, opposition members voiced support for Trump’s presidential campaign, arguing that Harris’s policies could lead to harmful over-inclusivity of transgender people.
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Estonia Weekly: Claims of Russophobia and Russification
Misinformation about the education system, healthcare costs, and government actions has fueled concerns, including allegations of Russophobia, rising taxes, unaffordable medical care, and increased government armament in preparation for potential civil unrest.
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Lithuania Weekly: Belittling Living Conditions in Lithuania
Recent articles shared a common theme of harsh criticism toward the government. These pieces included claims of supermarket exploitation, condemnation of Lithuania’s court system, and accusations of widespread corruption among officials.
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Latvia Weekly: COVID-19 Measures, LGBT Education, and Corruption Dominate Latvian Media Narratives
Media narratives in Latvia focused on COVID-19 restrictions, LGBT education in schools, and allegations of corruption within the coalition government.
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Estonia Weekly: Accusations of Russophobia Take Center Stage
Media posts and articles in Estonia were dominated by anti-government sentiment, focusing on economic issues and alleged Russophobia linked to Russian schools and citizens.
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