Report
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.
Weekly Reports
Estonia Weekly: False Mass Relocation Claims Aim to Discredit Authorities
Pro-Kremlin social media posts have distorted a realtor’s comment about a small number of Estonians moving to Russia, portraying it falsely as a mass exodus caused by government incompetence. Meanwhile, criticism of lengthy border delays in Narva has escalated, exacerbating tensions and socioeconomic pressures with no apparent resolution in sight.
Read moreLithuania Weekly: Kremlin-Aligned Outlets Fuel Panic Over Sovereignty and Security
In the past month, Kremlin-aligned media operating in Lithuania escalated disinformation efforts by amplifying fearmongering narratives about the country’s sovereignty, leadership, and defense readiness. Exploiting recent political scandals and military developments, these outlets pushed claims of imminent collapse, internal corruption, and NATO unreliability to erode public trust and sow doubt about Lithuania’s future.
Read moreLatvia Weekly: Baltnews Exploits Emotional Narratives to Promote Kremlin Agenda
Baltnews disseminated pro-Kremlin propaganda by portraying ethnic Russians in Latvia as victims of systematic persecution while deliberately omitting the broader security context of Russia’s ongoing aggression and hybrid warfare activities. The channel uses emotional manipulation and strategic context removal to delegitimize Baltic state sovereignty and security policies while positioning Russia as a protective homeland for displaced Russians.
Read moreEstonia Weekly: Government Faces Backlash Over IShowSpeed Tourism Promo
IShowSpeed’s visit to Estonia, which was partially funded by a government agency to promote tourism, sparked a public backlash amid economic hardship due to the perceived misuse of taxpayer money. The controversy intensified alongside revelations of significant errors in Estonian economic data, fuelling conspiracy theories about government transparency and competence.
Read moreLithuania Weekly: Exploiting Drone Incident to Discredit Leadership
Over the past week, Kremlin-linked media intensified efforts to discredit Lithuania’s leadership by exploiting a cross-border drone incident and the conviction of a former MP. A Russian-made drone from Belarus was mocked as a “cardboard toy,” while a high-profile criminal case was reframed to suggest systemic abuse within the ruling party. These narratives –amplified by revived COVID-19 disinformation – aimed to erode public trust, polarize society, and weaken confidence in democratic institutions.
Read moreLatvia Weekly: Disinformation Channel Exploits Pension Claims
The Antifascists of Pribaltics spread pro-Kremlin propaganda by portraying Latvia and other Baltic states as oppressive, Russophobic regimes, using distortion, sarcasm, and fabricated narratives. Its posts aimed to provoke outrage, glorify Russian power, and delegitimize Western institutions.
Read moreEstonia Weekly: Kremlin-Aligned Narratives Target Ukraine Aid
Pro-Kremlin commentators strongly criticized Estonia’s decision to host the 2027 Ukraine reconstruction conference, calling it premature and politically driven, while rising public frustration over economic issues — including a petition to reduce VAT on food and calls for protests — reflected broader discontent that echoed Kremlin narratives about economic decline due to defence spending and support for Ukraine.
Read moreLatvia Weekly: Ethnic Persecution Claims and Conspiratorial Rhetoric
The Antifascists of Pribaltics and Roslikovs’ Telegram channels amplified narratives of ethnic persecution, moral decline, and Western control to portray Latvia as hostile to Russian speakers. Together, they deepen societal divisions and exploit legal and political tensions to fuel populist and pro-Kremlin sentiment.
Read moreEstonia Weekly: VAT Hike and Church Bill Fuel Disinformation
Estonia’s VAT hike and some new laws have become lightning rods for pro-Kremlin critics, who frame them as evidence of elitist governance and cultural oppression, especially targeting the Russian-speaking minority.
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