Disinfo: The Baltic states are the anti-Russian vanguard of the West

Summary

The Baltic states are the vanguard of the anti-Russian movement in the West. They rewrite their common history with Russia. Especially the history of WWII. They are accusing the Soviet Union of “occupation”, using the term “Soviet occupation”. The Baltic states regularly violate human rights too.

Disproof

The narrative is presenting traditional cliches of Kremlin disinformation about the Baltic states. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are accused of historical revisionism, Russophobia and violation of human rights.

The circumstances of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states in 1940 are well-known today. On 23 August 1939, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed a non-aggression (Molotov-Ribbentrop) pact whose secret protocols divided the territories belonging to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, and Romania into Soviet and Nazi spheres of influence. The Baltic States were not the beneficiaries of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. Like other countries mentioned in the pact, they lost their independence and territories.

Soviet occupation of the Baltic States lasted for 50 years and resulted in mass deportations and repressions against local populations. On 24 December 1989, the Parliament of the USSR, the Congress of the People’s Deputies, adopted a resolution, acknowledging the annexation of the Baltic states as a violation of the USSR's obligations. An English translation of the full text can be found here:

The Congress notes that during this period the relations of the USSR with Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were regulated by a system of treaties. Pursuant to the 1920 Peace Treaties and 1926-1933 Non-Aggression Treaties, the signatories were obliged to honour each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability under any circumstances. The Soviet Union had assumed similar obligations to Poland and Finland.

The statement about the systematic violation of human rights in the Baltic states also is groundless. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are democratic countries, members of the European Union. In the Global Freedom Status (by Freedom House), the Baltic states are marked as “Free” with a high score: Lithuania (90 points from 100), Latvia (89 points from 100), Estonia (94 points from 100).

See similar examples of Kremlin disinformation about the Baltic states: The Baltic states violate the right of Russian-speaking people to get informed in their Mother tongue; The Baltic states trade Russophobia for financial assistance of the US and the EU; The Soviet occupation of the Baltic states is a myth.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 272
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 10/02/2022
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia, Baltic states
  • Keywords: Russophobia, Historical revisionism, Human rights, Occupation, WWII
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Disinfo: The trial of the January 13 case in Lithuania is political and toxic

The trial on the case of events of 13 January 1991 in Lithuania is political and toxic.

Vilnius is accusing Soviet soldiers of a clash with civil people but does not provide any evidence. Russia has many times accused Lithuania of violation of international law in the case of January 13. Lithuanian authorities are implementing a Russophobic course.

Disproof

The case contains historical revisionism and recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the events of 13 January 1991, accusing Lithuania of Russophobia.

Lithuania officially restored its independence of state on 11 March 1990. Moscow used political and economic pressure to keep the republic as part of the USSR. In January 1991, Soviet troops together with the KGB's special forces “Alfa” seized the TV tower and building of the Radio and Television Committee in Vilnius. During these events, 14 civilians died, and many were injured. The civilians were peaceful and unarmed. They tried to protect the TV tower and Committee of Radio and Television from being attacked by Soviet soldiers.

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Disproof

Recurring disinformation narrative concerning NATO's alleged aggressive policies.

NATO is a defensive alliance, whose purpose is to protect its member states. NATO members are only obliged to join hostilities if a member state was attacked in Europe or North America. Article 5 was invoked only once, after the 9/11 attacks.

Disinfo: Globalists and Judeo-Masons artificially create new strains of coronavirus to reduce the population

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Disproof

Anti-Semitism and disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic and vaccination, in line with common pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about a "shadow government of globalists" ruling the world and aiming to reduce world population through pandemics and vaccination.

This is part of a disinformation campaign on coronavirus, well documented by both media and governments. Elements of this campaign were widely reported by Russian and international publications, and by the European External Action Service.