Lithuania remains a target for Kremlin propaganda

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Lithuania imposed tighter restrictions on the Kremlin propaganda, which made Lithuania oriented Russian propaganda news sites more difficult to access. In spite of these measures, managers of propaganda outlets have not suspended collaboration with content providers in Lithuania and other countries. These individuals still gather information and produce propaganda products usually used in information campaigns tailored for Russian domestic audience to fuel negative attitude towards Lithuania.

In an effort to demonstrate that its international isolation is allegedly diminishing, the Kremlin regime attempts to attract Lithuanian residents to pro-Russian public activity. Organisations subordinated to or controlled by the Russian government have used their contact network in Lithuania to search for individuals who would be willing to attend international events with the purpose of supporting the Kremlin’s aggressive foreign policy. Several Lithuanian citizens who maintain contacts with Russian entities took part in such events that usually serve as a platform for spreading false information about the alleged systematic violation of human rights in Europe and for accumulating support for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

Distributors of pro-Kremlin propaganda in Lithuanian information domain primarily use social media. They run targeted campaigns against Ukrainian refugees accusing them of law violations, abuse of social support, and promotion of extremist ideologies. After tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees settled in Lithuania, a number of messages with unconfirmed information appeared online; they falsely accused the refugees of committing crimes and instigating ethnic hatred.