Lithuanian Armed Forces say Russia steps up information operations

Analysts at the Lithuanian Armed Forces' Strategic Communication Department have said hostile states are intensifying information activities targeting Lithuania and its allies.

As repored by Delfi, the experts said statements made by Russian officials in recent days and appearing in the public space are part of a coordinated attack intended to influence public sentiment.

Representatives of the Lithuanian military said one of the main goals of this campaign is to intimidate society.

In recent days, the Russian and Belarusian regimes have been actively spreading misleading claims that the Baltic states have supposedly decided to allow Ukraine to use their airspace for drone attacks against Russia.

The Lithuanian military said such claims are being spread on social media and repeated in statements by officials, which suggests a coordinated Kremlin information operation.

The aim of these information tactics, the analysts said, is to weaken people's willingness to resist, reduce aid to Ukraine and undermine support for defence.

Analysts at the Lithuanian Armed Forces' Strategic Communication Department constantly monitor the information space, assess the actions of unfriendly states and seek to make society more resilient to information threats.

Last week, Latvia's Ministry of Defence warned of a coordinated Russian information operation against the Baltic states in connection with "stray" Ukrainian UAVs.

Latvia's military intelligence has named Russia as the greatest source of threat in the foreseeable future in its threat assessment report.