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: Kremlin-Aligned Media Targets Lithuanian Support for Ukraine and Belarus Opposition
This week, Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania intensified efforts to discredit the country’s support for Ukraine and portray the government as authoritarian and detached from its citizens.
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Latvia Weekly: Kremlin Narratives Persist as Istanbul Convention Disinformation Wanes
Disinformation campaigns about the Istanbul Convention are declining, but Kremlin-aligned narratives persist on social media, with Russia-leaning politicians exploiting migration and minority rights debates to undermine Latvia’s Western alignment and portray the country as a Western puppet lacking sovereignty.
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Estonia Weekly: Pro-Kremlin narratives target Estonia over border incident and entry ban
Pro-Kremlin commentators portrayed Estonia’s closure of the Saatse Boot road as an “anti-Russian” provocation and mocked the country’s perceived weakness. Similarly, the entry ban on Latvian politician Aleksejs Rosļikovs was used to amplify narratives about political repression and curtailed freedom of speech in Estonia.
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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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