Russian bot networks, known for spreading multi-layered disinformation online throughout June 2026, have launched a new campaign to spread fake news, aimed at driving a wedge between allies in the Western coalition. This time, they circulated fake videos and posts purportedly on behalf of Le Figaro, TVP, Postimees and other European media outlets, the main message of which was the existence of a fictitious conflict between the Baltic states, France and Poland, fuelled by Baltic politicians’ obsession with Russophobia.
The Baltic states have long been under particular scrutiny from Russian IPSOs, as the Kremlin regards them as a priority target for future hybrid aggression and therefore seeks to sow mistrust and uncertainty at the highest political level in advance. Labelling and various baseless accusations serve this purpose perfectly – something Russia has, in fact, always done successfully.
Labelling someone a ‘Russophobe’ remains a favourite tactic of Kremlin propagandists when countering accusations and criticism of Russia. By shifting the focus away from the nature of Russian aggression towards the West’s supposedly ‘irrational hatred’ of anything associated with the Russian Federation, the Russians are attempting to discredit in advance any legitimate security or defence measures taken by their allies. In May 2026, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced its intention to lodge a complaint against the Baltic states with the International Court of Justice over the alleged ‘violation of the rights of Russians’, the ban on the Russian language, the dismantling of monuments and a ‘surge in Russophobia at the state level’. And although these allegations are legally baseless and are unlikely to be upheld by the court, Russia is setting a precedent and laying the groundwork to justify future aggression.
By directing disinformation aimed at driving a wedge between the Baltic states and their traditional allies, such as France and Poland, the Kremlin is attempting to isolate the Baltic states in the information sphere, portraying them as ‘radical Russophobes’ whose interests allegedly run counter to the pragmatic interests of Western European countries. In this way, Russia seeks to undermine mutual trust within the coalition, weaken the principle of solidarity within NATO, and convince European public opinion that defending the Baltic region is not worth the cost of collective defence.
Another narrative used in disinformation campaigns is the discrediting of sanctions. The Kremlin’s manipulation regarding the detrimental effects of anti-Russian sanctions on Europe is an attempt to pass off wishful thinking as reality. Whilst these restrictions are in fact crippling the Russian economy and depriving it of essential technologies and resources, the propaganda machine seeks to convince the world of the opposite. By spreading disinformation about ‘Europe’s economic suicide’ and fabricating statements by Western businesspeople or politicians, Russia is attempting to create the false impression that everyone in the EU is fed up with the sanctions and is simply looking for an excuse to lift them. These disinformation campaigns are intended not only to conceal the deep internal crisis in the Russian economy itself, but also to undermine the unity of the allies.
In one of the fabricated videos, purportedly on behalf of the French newspaper *Le Figaro*, it was claimed that Urmas Paet, a Member of the European Parliament from Estonia’s ‘Reform Party’, had criticised French business leaders who had called for the temporary lifting of sanctions against Russia, allegedly to save their own economy. In response, Le Figaro’s AI-generated editor-in-chief, Alexis Brézé, described the Estonian diplomat as a man obsessed with anti-Russian rhetoric.
Another fake video, which mimicked footage from Polish Television (TVP), concerned another MEP from Estonia – Sven Mikser. The clip claimed that this MEP had accused Warsaw of covertly undermining Ukraine. To maximise its credibility, the hoax was released against the backdrop of deteriorating Polish-Ukrainian relations and was intended to further polarise anti-Ukrainian discourse.
The danger of such Russian disinformation campaigns lies in their persistence, high level of sophistication and ability to perfectly mimic authoritative Western sources. Taken together, their nature suggests that the Kremlin is attempting, at the very least, to sow mistrust between the governments of the Baltic states and their Western NATO allies, so that, in the event of a hybrid operation or military aggression against them, the implementation of Article 5 of the Alliance would be rendered impossible or significantly impeded, leaving Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia without effective and timely military support.