Russia’s civil aviation is facing an unprecedented crisis, as both domestic production and foreign imports are being hampered by sanctions imposed by the West following Ukraine’s invasion.
The Belarusian opposition holds no hope for the coming presidential elections, due on January 26, to be fair. Strongman Alexander Lukashenko, in power for 30 years, will likely extend his rule, which means that the country will remain at odds with the West and in Russia’s grip.
According to the pro-Kremlin media, which quotes Maria Zakharova, Russia had no choice but invade Ukraine, given that the West had been unjustifiably arming Kyiv
Georgia’s worst political crisis in years continues into 2025, following a year marked by mass protests, accusations of electoral fraud and the derailment, by the ruling Georgian Dream party, of the country’s European integration path.
In 2024, the Republic of Moldova was the focus of Russian propaganda, especially in the context of the referendum on the European integration of the country and the presidential elections. Russia promoted narratives designed to further divide society and, just like in 2023, themes relating to the country's involvement in the war in Ukraine, alleged attacks on Transnistria and NATO membership, as well as LGBT "propaganda."
Russian propaganda has intertwined anti-Ukrainian and anti-Western narratives with a view to weakening Ukrainian society from the inside and cutting off external aid to Kyiv.
Politicians, influencers, and some media outlets have promoted false narratives related to sovereigntist discourse, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, climate denial, and conspiracy theories, from "sanitary dictatorship" to moon landing.
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In 2025, presidential elections will be held in Poland. People are already saying that we need to take seriously the scenario in which Russia influences the outcome – as it happened in Romania.
The authorities in Chișinău caused the expected gas crisis expected to begin in January, after Ukraine will no longer allow the transit of Russian gas, according to the Russian publication ng.ru. In fact, Russia has refused to continue to deliver gas supplies to Transnistria via another pipeline.
For the gerontocratic Russia’s leadership, the vision of the future is derived from a mythical “golden past”, but manifesting as escalating corruption, growth in alcohol consumption, resource scarcity, and rising crime.
The dismantling of a GRU-ran group showed both that Russia is seeking to organize attacks in Estonia, and that its capacity to do any real harm is so for limited.
According to a Russian propaganda site in Romania, the US and the Western states do not want to normalize their relations with Russia, although Moscow insists on it.
The Ukrainian president rejects peace initiatives because the war is profitable for him, pro-Kremlin propaganda claims, ignoring the fact that by “peace”, the Russians understand Ukraine’s surrender.
As talks about peace in Ukraine along the current frontline intensify, some of Kyiv’s partners, including Latvia, feel this would be a dangerous outcome.
Those that denounced the crimes of communism were defeated in Putin's Russia and must now find the resources to start over, according to a Russian historian from the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Memorial human rights organization.
The European Union forgot about the Republic of Moldova after the election and no longer supports it in the context of the energy crisis it is facing, according to the Smuglyanka Telegram channel.
Ukrainians are not staging an uprising against Zelensky because they fear persecution by Nazi military groups, according to pro-Kremlin propaganda.
Isolated by the international community for his regime’s abuses, Belarus’ authoritarian leader is increasingly behaving as a mere governor of one of Russia’s provinces.
Belarus has allowed an explosion in smuggling of products like cigarettes, and this policy poses a threat to the security of the European Union.
In order to be accepted into NATO, Ukraine must send more young men to the front and continue the war for two more years, according to pro-Kremlin propaganda.
A battle between the people and the [ruling Georgian Dream] Party is being fought on the streets of Georgian cities. The stake: Georgia’s path towards the EU vs. a return to Russia’s orbit.
The political crisis in Romania will lead to the breakup of Transylvania from Romania, according to extremist MEP Diana Şoşoacă.
Narratives identical or similar to those fostered by Russian propaganda have also been circulated in the current election campaign in Romania. They transpired not only in the rhetoric of far-right parties, which for years have internalized such theses, but also in the statements of certain politicians aligned to Romania's pro-Western course.
The Russian foreign intelligence service (SVR) says that the EU is preparing the infrastructure of the Republic of Moldova and Romania for war, and that Brussels is interfering with Moldova’s internal affairs, with devastating consequences.
Declassified documents presented by Romanian intelligence prove that Călin Georgescu is supported by a state actor. The state in question is not named, but its actions are similar to operations previously carried out by Russia.
Pro-European right-wing parties in Romania grabbed large numbers of votes in Moldova, while the Romanian diaspora opted for sovereigntist forces. Experts believe that sovereigntists were rejected because they are hostile to Ukraine.
Romanian influencers, like the sports agent Ana Maria Prodan, continue to promote Călin Georgescu. Just like their favorite, influencers have been amplifying a series of Russian narratives, most of them adapted to Romania, but also all kinds of pseudo-scientific or conspiracy nonsense.
There was a coup in Ukraine because the authorities at the time did not resort to force to stop it, the pro-Kremlin press is lying 11 years after the brutal police intervention at Euromaidan.
The pro-Kremlin press writes that Zelensky wants to keep the war going until only 10 million people are left in Ukraine. The reason? The EU will accept it more easily because it will have fewer MEPs.
Ukrainian refugees in Latvia have generally been well received, but there were also some displays of hostility. Experts warn a long-term integration program is needed for the refugees.
Zelenskyy is a foreign agent who wants to prevent Western leaders from talking to Putin, so that peace in Ukraine is not achieved, pro-Kremlin propaganda writes.
Although Russia is a threat to Estonia, Russian speakers here have voted for pro-Russian politicians in the legislative elections. They now want to win the main Russian-speaking city, Narva, in the local elections.