IN SHORT:
• Russia tries to shift blame for its deadly strikes on Kyiv.
• Transnistria is used as a tool to destabilise Moldova.
• Ukraine is being falsely accused of trying to drag the Baltic states into war with Russia.
LAST WEEK IN REVIEW:
Russia continued to combine military escalation with coordinated FIMI activity. Following Sunday’s overnight missile strikes on Kyiv, Russian state media falsely framed the attacks as justified retaliation while amplifying warnings of further strikes, creating psychological pressure and reinforcing narratives of Russian inevitability and escalation dominance.
Across the information space, Kremlin-aligned actors intensified efforts to manipulate regional threat perceptions. In the Baltic states, pro-Kremlin narratives claimed that Ukrainian drones represented the principal security danger for Russia while blaming Baltic governments for allegedly enabling these risks and questioning NATO’s ability to secure Baltic airspace, aiming to erode confidence in Allied security guarantees. FIMI outlets also amplified the Kremlin’s narratives depicting Russia as the “protector” of Transnistria while labelling Moldova “fascist.” Together, these narratives illustrate Russia’s classic use of information manipulation to intimidate its neighbours, undermine trust in Euro-Atlantic institutions, and legitimise Russian geopolitical influence.
Russian-linked messaging continues to pressure Armenia ahead of elections through warnings of economic consequences should it deepen ties with the EU.
SNAPSHOT OF FIMI NARRATIVES:
‘Ukrainian media claim Zelenskyy is responsible for the night attack on Kyiv’
‘Russia hit a target worthy of the Oreshnik missile in Ukraine’
Pro-Kremlin outlets claim that the Ukrainian media are blaming Zelenskyy for Russia’s latest attack on Kyiv, one of the most destructive since the start of the full-scale war – had he agreed to give Donbas over to Russia, they argue, the attack wouldn’t have occurred. FIMI outlets also falsely claim that Russia’s hypersonic Oreshnik missile did not strike central Kyiv, but instead hit a suburb housing military infrastructure.
Both of these claims seek to justify a massive air raid that destroyed numerous civilian buildings in central Kyiv, including a market and a school shelter, claiming the lives of four people and injuring more than a hundred others. The first claim is an unsubstantiated attempt to shift responsibility away from Russia, the perpetrator of the attack, while at the same time trying to discredit President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. No Ukrainian media blamed him for the air raid, and 75% of Ukrainians oppose ceding Donbas to Russia. The second claim is yet another attempt to portray Russian strikes on Ukraine as targeting only military infrastructure, despite ample evidence that Russia has repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure throughout the war.
Denying war crimes and shifting blame are key tactics in pro-Kremlin disinformation.
This false claim appeared on Controinformazione.info, an Italian outlet spreading pro-Kremlin narratives.
‘Long-term restrictive measures by the Republic of Moldova led to a deterioration of the situation in Transnistria’
Disinformation outlets claim that Moldovan restrictions and new taxes are pushing Transnistria into a deep economic crisis that threatens businesses and people’s livelihoods.
The claim reverses cause and effect by blaming Moldova for a crisis largely triggered by Russia’s decision to halt decades-long free gas supplies that had kept Transnistria’s economy afloat. Moldova offered Transnistria support in buying gas from European markets, but the region’s authorities rejected the proposal. The cancellation of tax benefits for businesses from Transnistria starting in 2026 is part of Moldova’s effort to harmonise tax and customs regimes across the entire territory of the country. Companies elsewhere in Moldova have complied with the same tax and customs regulations for years, while businesses in Transnistria will have a transition period extending until 2030 to fully align with these rules.
Lately, pro-Kremlin outlets have intensified claims that present Russia as Transnistria’s concerned protector. At the same time, the Kremlin has simplified access to Russian citizenship for residents of Transnistria and recently adopted a law allowing Moscow to use military force abroad under the pretext of protecting allegedly oppressed Russian nationals. The broader aim is to destabilise Moldova, maintain Russian leverage in the region, and create a pretext for future interference.
This false claim was disseminated by the Romanian-language subsite of the Pravda disinformation network.
‘Ukraine launches drones against Baltic countries to drag them into war’
FIMI messaging claims that Ukraine is deliberately using drone flights over Baltic airspace to drag other countries into the war with Russia.
There is no evidence to support this allegation. While stray drone incidents have occurred more frequently in recent months, there is no indication that Ukrainian drones are intentionally operating in this way; some incidents may also result from Russian interference with drone navigation or deliberate attempts to divert drones into NATO airspace. These narratives are used by the Kremlin to foster discontent toward Ukraine in the Baltic states and to pressure them into opposing Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory.
Russian FIMI outlets have also been spreading unsubstantiated claims that Baltic states are allegedly allowing Ukraine to use their territory for drone flyovers or launches, followed by calls for retaliation. This disinformation campaign increases political pressure on the Baltic states and seeks to weaken their support for Ukraine.
This false claim was published by ESRT, the Spanish-language version of Russian state propaganda outlet RT.
Don’t be deceived.
