Analysis shows Russia targets Eastern Europe with disinformation, while Lithuania leads in countering it.
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Analysis of over 640,000 publications from December 2024 to March 2025 shows that 52% of “Pravda” content targets former Soviet and Balkan states, despite these regions having a small percentage of the world’s population. The primary targets for disinformation spread by the “Pravda” network, a Russian propaganda site also known as “Portal Combat,” are Moldova, Latvia, and Estonia, followed by Serbia and Armenia. Lithuania, Georgia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Czechia are also among the top ten countries receiving the most “Pravda” publications. Experts note that Russia strategically targets these countries, many of which have vital energy infrastructure connecting European markets to Russian suppliers. Russia’s disinformation campaigns often focus on neighboring countries, employing long-term foreign and domestic policy strategies, a pattern observed from the Soviet era to the present day. Disinformation narratives frequently revolve around the war in Ukraine, aiming to justify the conflict by portraying Russia as forced into the invasion due to Ukraine becoming a puppet of the US and NATO. Furthermore, Russia spreads conspiracy theories, such as those against COVID-19 vaccines, and seeks to strengthen separatist or far-right, ethnic nationalist narratives in Eastern and Southern Europe to sow division and xenophobia within Europe. In contrast, while Bulgaria is identified as one of Europe’s most vulnerable to Russian propaganda, its governmental institutions have failed to take necessary action, despite discussions about creating a dedicated disinformation unit. Currently, non-governmental organizations, fact-checking platforms, and civil society are leading the fight against this threat. Lithuania, despite being a target, is recognized internationally as a leader in combating disinformation. The National Crisis Management Center in Lithuania coordinates efforts, with the military’s Strategic Communications Department having monitored the information environment for over a decade. The center highlights social media as a major challenge, noting that 63% of citizens cite it as a source of disinformation, leading to legislative proposals to better protect the information space.
