Lithuania: Minister, Vatican envoy discuss Pope’s remarks on Russia

Lithuania’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Jovita Neliupsiene, has met with the Vatican’s envoy to Lithuania, Petar Rajic, to discuss recent remarks by Pope Francis about Russia, BNS reports. Neither side provided details about the meeting, however. Earlier, the pontiff addressed young Catholics in St Petersburg, saying that they were “children of great Russia” and “of a…

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Estonia: Pro-Russian politician Aivo Peterson charged with treason

Estonia’s Office of the Prosecutor General has charged Aivo Peterson, leader of the pro-Russian political party, Together (Koos), with treason, ERR reports. Also, Estonian citizen Dmitri Rootsi was charged with treason and Russian citizen Andrey Andronov for non-violent activities against Estonia. Rootsi and Andronov are both members of the pro-Russian organisation, Night Watch (Nochnoy Dozor)….

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Lithuania: Foreign Ministry summons Vatican envoy after Pope praises Russia

Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry has invited the Vatican’s representative in Lithuania for a conversation after Pope Francis gave statements praising Russia, BNS reports. Speaking online to a group of Catholic Russians in St Petersburg, Pope Francis said that they were “heirs of the great Mother Russia” and of an “empire of great culture and great humanity.”…

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Latvia: Sputnik Lithuania editor-in-chief flees Latvia after trial

The editor-in-chief of Russian propaganda agency Sputnik’s Lithuanian edition, Marats Kasems, has fled Latvia, fearing criminal prosecution, Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, announced, LETA reports. Riga-based Russian independent news website Meduza reported that Kasems was now in Russia. Meanwhile, his Facebook page indicates that he is currently in the UK. Earlier, Kasems pled…

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Baltic: Foreign ministers concerned over Russian, Belarusian athletes at Paris Olympics

The foreign ministers of the three Baltic States have sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), expressing concern about recommendations to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris under a neutral flag, BNS reports. In their joint letter to IOC president Thomas Bach, the ministers…

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Latvia: Latvians, Russians differ on Ukraine war, Russia: poll

Latvia’s Latvians and Russian-speakers continue to hold completely opposite views on the war in Ukraine, according to an SKDS poll for Ir magazine, LSM reports. The survey showed that 78% of Latvian-speakers supported Ukraine in April 2023, while only 27% of Russian-speakers did so. In mixed households, just 32% supported Ukraine, which was down from…

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Lithuania: Russian citizen loses residence permit for spreading Russian propaganda

The Lithuanian Migration Department (LMD) has revoked the residence permit of a Russian citizen, Vladimir Vodo, after the State Security Department (VSD) said that he posed a threat to national security, BNS reports. Vodo claims to be a journalist, yet spreads pro-Russian propaganda on social media and has contacts with Russian and Belarusian intelligence services, VSD…

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Latvia: Penalties in national security cases “too mild”: Pres. Rinkevics

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has asked Prosecutor General Juris Stukans to explain why a Latvian citizen who provided support to Russia got away with just a fine, LSM reports. Earlier, a court found Marats Kasems, editor of Russian propaganda agency Sputnik’s Lithuanian edition, guilty of supporting Russia’s activities against Latvia and sentenced him to a…

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