ISTANBUL

Russia is allegedly intensifying its disinformation and propaganda operations against Western countries, particularly in the Baltic states, Lithuanian broadcaster LRT reported Tuesday.

Russian intelligence services have been recruiting Latvian residents via Telegram channels or during trips to Russia to spread their views, according to the report.
Those targeted are reportedly drawn from low-income groups or young people seeking to earn money.

LRT cited the case of videographer and blogger Oleg Besedin, who was arrested in Estonia in early November after years of allegedly cooperating with Moscow outlets, producing documentaries and reports aligned with Kremlin rhetoric.

"Besedin is suspected of participating in information influence campaigns by cooperating with people who live and work in Russia. That is, it is not just a question of him expressing his opinion about Estonia or other Baltic states – he does it in cooperation with persons in Russia. According to our suspicions, these people specialize in information campaigns," Estonian State Prosecutor Taavi Pern said.

Erki Korts, head of the Estonian Institute of Internal Security, said Besedin likely received specific instructions on how to act, which stories to publish, which topics to cover and which political directions to support.

In February, Latvian citizen Marat Kasem, who once served as editor-in-chief of Sputnik Lithuania, published information about an online conference hosted by the pro-Kremlin organization Institute for CIS Countries, the report said.

During the conference, Latvian pro-Kremlin activist Aleksandrs Gaponenko reportedly claimed an ethnocide was taking place in Latvia and argued that, should Moscow pursue a “humanitarian intervention in the Baltic states,” it would first need to prepare ideological groundwork.

His remarks led to charges of assisting a foreign state and inciting national hatred, a case now before the court. He denies wrongdoing.

LRT reported that during a September meeting, the same organization criticized alleged oppression of compatriots in Latvia and the mandatory Latvian-language test for Russian citizens.

The Latvian State Security Service says Russia is making significant efforts to ensure its propaganda and disinformation reach and influence Latvian society.

The broadcaster also reported that the Constitution Protection Bureau said the Fund for the Support and Protection of Compatriots Living Abroad, overseen by the Russian Foreign Ministry, continues to be used to finance Russian influence operations in the Baltic states and to cover legal costs for pro-Kremlin activists facing lawsuits in the region.