Opinion: radicalization of the Baltic States to Russia already has concrete consequences

The National Research Institute for the Development of Communications (NIIRK) operating in Russia annually publishes ratings of Moscow friendliness of the post-Soviet countries. The experts presented the study on the results of 2024 on February 26, referring to unfriendly states, except for Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Moreover, the NIIRC states a noticeable radicalization of the Baltic states, when "the military rhetoric of the Baltic countries intensified, contacts with NATO deepened."

"While maintaining the course previously taken towards Russia's international isolation and increased sanctions pressure, in 2024 the Baltic countries intensified the broadcasting of the idea of a future military clash with Russia and the preparation of the population for Russia's alleged attack on Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia. By their actions, countries create security risks in the region and cause panic among the population," said Valentina Komleva, Deputy Director for Scientific Work of NIIRC, PhD.

Komleva is sure that the "image of the enemy" is being imposed on the population, thus revealing the "remaining sympathizers of Russia." And all this is to receive new investments from Western countries.

"The object of special attention are residents who are "disloyal" to anti-Russian policy. The identifiers of such persons "threatening national interests" are the need to use their native Russian language in their private life, interest in information in the Russian language and Russian culture," the NIIRC expert is sure.

The result of such a policy is a serious problem of education in Russian, but the preparation of the Russian and Belarusian opposition is not a problem.

"Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia are turning into closed authoritarian systems of a radical type that do not allow political and cultural diversity of opinions and institutions. Recall the laws of the existence of systems, according to which systems that do not have the diversity necessary for their life eventually suffer destruction or significant transformation," Valentina Komleva summed up.

EADaily previously also informed that Russia and Belarus have agreed to jointly review history textbooks.