DISINFO: Lithuanian authorities are anti-vaxxers
SUMMARY
Lithuania’s Conservatives could be evaluated as anti-vaxxers due to their position against Sputnik V vaccine. They try to spread fear and distrust (of Sputnik V) into society. It is making the struggles of medics for the lives of patients more complicated.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Lithuania, aiming to promote the Russian Sputnik V vaccine.
The Lithuanian authorities are implementing a plan of mass vaccination of inhabitants of the country. According to the plan, all the main vulnerable categories of society should be vaccinated by July 2021. Lithuania is using all three vaccines already registered in the EU: BioNTech and Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca.
The Lithuanian authorities indeed stated that Lithuania will not buy Sputnik V even if it is approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis, explained that it is “geostrategic decision of Lithuania”. Landsbergis said that the money, which Russia would be paid for Sputnik V, could be used in the war in Ukraine. Lithuania's Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė also stated that Russia uses the vaccine for geopolitical purposes.
The Lithuanian Conservatives (Homeland Union) are frequent targets of Kremlin disinformation. See similar cases: Lithuanian government does not do any good for Lithuanians; Lithuanian Conservatives forming state ideology and justifies people who participated in the Holocaust; The Russophobic political power in Lithuania will undermine the president.