DISINFO: Baltic states provoking Russia by hosting foreign troops
SUMMARY
The Baltic states are beginning to provoke Russia in order to aggravate relations. A German brigade has been sent there to defend the (Suwalki) corridor [between Lithuania and Poland]. A scenario was drafted 10 years ago that these troops should suppress an uprising of the Russian population in Latvia. Such an uprising is being provoked now so that Russia intervenes and clashes with Germans. But NATO will say that it has nothing to do with it because it is Germany which is protecting Latvia.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing NATO member states of Russophobia and plans to attack Russia. This claim was made in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The speaker probably confused Latvia with Lithuania because Germany and Lithuania signed an agreement in December 2023 on the permanent stationing of approximately 4,800 German soldiers in Kaunas and Vilnius beginning in 2024. The Baltic states have decided to invite Allied troops in order to protect themselves from a possible Russian invasion because many Russian politicians have issued direct threats to the Baltic nations (see here and here). Sweden plans to send an army battalion of 800 troops to Latvia in early 2025.
The Alliance does not want war with Russia. NATO is primarily a political organisation which aims at solving conflicts by peaceful means, but it can resort to force under certain circumstances. Article 5 of the Washington Treaty provides that if a NATO Ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the Alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked. Article 5 was invoked only once in NATO’s history after the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States.
There are no reasons for a potential uprising by Latvia's Russian-speaking population, despite the fact that Moscow is trying to interfere in the Baltic nation’s internal affairs.
Read similar disinformation cases claiming that NATO is boosting its presence in the Baltic Sea to provoke Russia, that Like 80 years ago, Germany moves its tanks to Lithuania to fight Russia, and that Russia does not pose a threat to anyone.