Report
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.
Weekly Reports
Latvia 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.
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Estonia 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.
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Lithuania 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.
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Latvia 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.
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Estonia 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.
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Latvia 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.
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Estonia 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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Latvia Weekly: Russian Language Debate Fuels Radical Rhetoric
Aleksejs Roslikovs sparked major controversy with his parliamentary declaration “There are more of us! We cannot be banned!” in response to proposed Russian language restrictions, leading to criminal proceedings for allegedly assisting Russia and inciting hatred. Following incidents including a hanging his effigy and offensive football fan posters targeting him, Roslikovs has leveraged these threats to construct a comprehensive victimization narrative on social media, portraying himself as a persecuted defender of Russian speakers against what he characterizes as organized extremist persecution and broader conspiracies by Latvia’s establishment.
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Estonia Weekly: NATO Summit Fuels Kremlin Disinformation
Pro-Kremlin voices on social media depicted NATO as aggressive and divided, criticizing Baltic defence moves and mocking Western leadership. In Estonia, Russian-speaking groups amplified nuclear tensions and spread false claims about EU opposition to Ukraine’s membership to support Kremlin narratives.
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