Since Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, its propaganda has claimed that residents of the Baltic states are fleeing en masse to Russia and Belarus to escape “russophobia.” Re:Baltica investigation reveals different truths behind these narratives.
Two years ago, sailor Konstantīns Rudakov was still living in Latvia. In his free time, he created TikTok videos criticizing life there and spreading disinformation about the war in Ukraine. In one video, he stated, “European mercenaries are currently fighting over Ukraine, and anyone who tells me otherwise can go to hell.” While it is true that volunteers from European countries are fighting in Ukraine, Kremlin propaganda uses such cases to claim that Russia is at war with NATO forces.
Rudakov’s activities caught the attention of Latvia’s State Security Service, which warned him to stop. Undeterred, Rudakov continued until security officers searched his apartment. Following the raid, he moved to Belarus, a close ally of Russia, where he began posting TikTok videos praising life in Minsk.
lambinevendlus on
>residents of the Baltic states are fleeing en masse to Russia and Belarus to escape “russophobia.”
So they are claiming that the Russian colonists who the locals never wanted are returning to Russia? If only…
YourShowerCompanion on
These russia loving ruZkie squatters and vatnikZ are free to move to ruzkie mir for once and all.
Nobody is going to miss them.
Just_Ban_Me_Already on
Mass report those channels when and if you see them. Period.
thrownkitchensink on
The propaganda machine is always turning. From Russia, China ,etc. On all platforms and through politicians in the rising extreme right in Europe and the US.
What’s interesting about this is that a Russia that doesn’t face enough deterrence and that does get some backing from China could use narratives such as this to pull a stunt in the Suwalki gap in a few years.
Not likely but still realistic. We’ll need a divided Europe with enough extreme right leaders with pro-Kremlin sentiments (Orban, WIlders, Le Pen, etc.). A US that’s isolationist and not willing to detter Russia with nuclear weapons in Europe. A ceasefire in Ukraine but without a force there that’s enough of a detterence. A Russia that doesn’t face economic collaps (see Germany’s flirting with Russian gas again in this election). Putin needing an enemy to solidify his position.
It could actually happen.
Funny thing is that with Trumps US Europe might just turn to China more and that might be what stops Putin. It’s really not funny but…you know. Invest in deterrence and European cooperation (don’t count on unanimous voting in the EU and NATO!) and vote in the political middle, choose whatever politician doesn’t offer easy solutions in these complicated times. Because there are none.
Common_Brick_8222 on
Approximately 90% of all “Neutral” Russian speakers are pro Russian, they just don’t say shit like “let’s bombard Washington with nukes and die in the name of vladdy daddy”. For example, Artyom Lebedev (mostly known for selling the letter M for millions of dollars) calls himself a liberal while supporting Russia and saying some shit like “We live so good, but the EU does not”
Shimano-No-Kyoken on
We need to put AI to work flagging these nodes in the graph that spread harmful narratives. The only way about it at this point.
ConnectionDouble8438 on
Yet, the EU remains reluctant to confiscate the 200 billion worth of frozen russian assets.
8 commenti
Since Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, its propaganda has claimed that residents of the Baltic states are fleeing en masse to Russia and Belarus to escape “russophobia.” Re:Baltica investigation reveals different truths behind these narratives.
Two years ago, sailor Konstantīns Rudakov was still living in Latvia. In his free time, he created TikTok videos criticizing life there and spreading disinformation about the war in Ukraine. In one video, he stated, “European mercenaries are currently fighting over Ukraine, and anyone who tells me otherwise can go to hell.” While it is true that volunteers from European countries are fighting in Ukraine, Kremlin propaganda uses such cases to claim that Russia is at war with NATO forces.
Rudakov’s activities caught the attention of Latvia’s State Security Service, which warned him to stop. Undeterred, Rudakov continued until security officers searched his apartment. Following the raid, he moved to Belarus, a close ally of Russia, where he began posting TikTok videos praising life in Minsk.
>residents of the Baltic states are fleeing en masse to Russia and Belarus to escape “russophobia.”
So they are claiming that the Russian colonists who the locals never wanted are returning to Russia? If only…
These russia loving ruZkie squatters and vatnikZ are free to move to ruzkie mir for once and all.
Nobody is going to miss them.
Mass report those channels when and if you see them. Period.
The propaganda machine is always turning. From Russia, China ,etc. On all platforms and through politicians in the rising extreme right in Europe and the US.
What’s interesting about this is that a Russia that doesn’t face enough deterrence and that does get some backing from China could use narratives such as this to pull a stunt in the Suwalki gap in a few years.
Not likely but still realistic. We’ll need a divided Europe with enough extreme right leaders with pro-Kremlin sentiments (Orban, WIlders, Le Pen, etc.). A US that’s isolationist and not willing to detter Russia with nuclear weapons in Europe. A ceasefire in Ukraine but without a force there that’s enough of a detterence. A Russia that doesn’t face economic collaps (see Germany’s flirting with Russian gas again in this election). Putin needing an enemy to solidify his position.
It could actually happen.
Funny thing is that with Trumps US Europe might just turn to China more and that might be what stops Putin. It’s really not funny but…you know. Invest in deterrence and European cooperation (don’t count on unanimous voting in the EU and NATO!) and vote in the political middle, choose whatever politician doesn’t offer easy solutions in these complicated times. Because there are none.
Approximately 90% of all “Neutral” Russian speakers are pro Russian, they just don’t say shit like “let’s bombard Washington with nukes and die in the name of vladdy daddy”. For example, Artyom Lebedev (mostly known for selling the letter M for millions of dollars) calls himself a liberal while supporting Russia and saying some shit like “We live so good, but the EU does not”
We need to put AI to work flagging these nodes in the graph that spread harmful narratives. The only way about it at this point.
Yet, the EU remains reluctant to confiscate the 200 billion worth of frozen russian assets.