Report
Lithuania Weekly: Kremlin-Aligned Media Exploit Belarus Sanctions Rift
Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania intensified anti-government messaging last week by exploiting political friction over proposed sanctions on Belarus. Commentators praised MP Remigijus Žemaitaitis’ opposition to the measures while mocking Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys’ warnings about hybrid attacks, portraying Lithuanian security concerns as exaggerated. At the same time, the refusal of the Lithuanian Power Award by the “Šilainių sodai” initiative was reframed as an opportunity to attack President Nausėda and reinforce ongoing anti-government narratives.
Weekly Reports
Lithuania Weekly: Disinformation Targets Landsbergis and Exploits Belarus Balloon Incidents
Pro-Kremlin media mocked Gabrielius Landsbergis over his recent human rights award and framed him as a danger to Lithuania’s interests. Parallel narratives dramatized the Belarusian balloon incidents, claiming the government manufactured hysteria to justify restrictive policies. These coordinated themes seek to portray Lithuania as insecure, manipulated, and poorly governed.
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Latvia Weekly: Opposition Leaders Portray Themselves as Victims of Systemic Bias
Two Latvian opposition politicians have constructed narratives of systematic persecution, with Rosļikovs framing his prosecution for pro-Russian activities as evidence of disproportionate punishment for defending minority rights, while Ainars Šlesers alleges state-funded media bias that promotes government-aligned causes while suppressing dissent. Both narratives challenge the legitimacy of Latvia’s institutions by portraying courts and public media as politicized tools of the ruling coalition rather than neutral arbiters, using claims of selective justice to position themselves as martyrs and mobilize support among audiences suspicious of institutional fairness.
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Estonia Weekly: Arrest of Oleg Besedin Sparks Kremlin-Aligned Narratives
The arrest of Oleg Besedin sparked a wave of pro-Kremlin commentary portraying him as a victim of anti-Russian persecution, while simultaneously fueling political infighting in Tallinn over past city contracts linked to his media companies.
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Lithuania Weekly: Kremlin Media Exploit Belarus Tensions
This week, pro-Kremlin outlets in Lithuania focused their coverage on debates surrounding Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė and the country’s fraught relations with Belarus, alleging the government manipulates public messaging and stirs tensions for political gain. Concurrently, the narrative around low-flying balloon incidents was leveraged to question Lithuania’s crisis readiness, while commentator efforts to normalise rapprochement with Belarus surfaced in social-media circles – signalling persistent attempts to sway public perception and undermine Lithuania’s strategic alignment.
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Latvia Weekly: Disinformation Peaks as Saeima Votes to Withdraw from the Istanbul Convention
Following the Parliamentary vote for Latvia to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, opposition politicians launched disinformation campaigns falsely claiming the anti-violence treaty would permit men in women’s restrooms and attacking supporters as foreign agents. These narratives deliberately distorted the Convention’s actual purpose of protecting women from violence, replacing substantive debate with inflammatory rhetoric about gender identity and national betrayal.
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Estonia Weekly: Government Initiative to Ease War Anxiety Sparks Kremlin Mockery
In late October 2025, Estonia hired a journalist to address public war anxiety, sparking criticism over blurred media-state lines and mockery from pro-Kremlin voices. Simultaneously, reports of discrimination against Russian-speaking students reignited debates over language policies and societal tensions online.
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Lithuania Weekly: Defence Minister’s Resignation and Ukrainian Flag Debate
This week, Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania concentrated on the resignation of Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė, using it to fuel disinformation and conspiracy narratives about corruption and political intrigue within the government. At the same time, pro-Kremlin outlets revived stories about the Ukrainian flag in the Seimas, presenting opposition to it as a growing grassroots movement and seeking to undermine public support for Lithuania’s pro-Ukraine stance.
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Latvia Weekly: Trump-style manipulations about Convention against violence
Ainars Šlesers from the Latvia First party has intensified his disinformation campaign against the Istanbul Convention using Trump-style manipulation tactics, falsely claiming the treaty enables child brainwashing and gender changes for minors. His strategy combines conspiracy theories about elite corruption, personal attacks degrading opponents’ appearance and competence, and apocalyptic calls to save Latvia, creating tribal political warfare where facts become irrelevant.
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Estonia Weekly: Pro-Kremlin Commentators Stoke E-Voting Mistrust in Estonia
Online debate last week focused on Estonia’s municipal elections and Omniva’s move to end Russian-language service. Pro-Kremlin voices questioned the integrity of e-voting and framed Omniva’s decision as “Russophobic,” reinforcing narratives of discrimination against Russian speakers in Estonia.
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