Russian State Agency RIA Novosti Publishes Then Deletes Column About New War in Lithuania

The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti published a column referring to a potential Russian military operation in Lithuania before quickly removing the article. The incident was reported by the independent Russian media outlet Meduza, which preserved the content before it was deleted.

A Pattern of Testing Extremist Narratives

The column reportedly referenced Russia's potential next special military operation in Lithuania, the same language used to describe Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The swift deletion suggests the publication may have been either an editorial error or a deliberate test of how such messaging would be received.

Analysts who study Russian information operations describe a recurring pattern in which extreme narratives are floated in official or semi-official channels to gauge public reaction and normalize increasingly aggressive rhetoric over time.

Lithuania as a Target

Lithuania, a NATO member state, has been a frequent target of Russian propaganda, particularly since its strong support for Ukraine. Russian officials have repeatedly made veiled threats toward the Baltic states, and the Lithuanian government has consistently raised concerns about hybrid warfare tactics, including disinformation campaigns.

Reactions and Context

Lithuanian authorities and NATO officials have not yet issued formal responses to this specific incident, but the country's intelligence services have long warned about systematic Russian disinformation campaigns targeting Baltic states. The Meduza report ensures the content was preserved for documentation and analysis despite the deletion.