DISINFO: The Baltic States forgot the economic advantages of joining the Russian empire
SUMMARY
[...] The Baltic states, actively used economic advantages from joining the [Russian] empire, but at the same time retained a significant degree of political and cultural independence. Clearly, today they prefer not to remember these circumstances, although they still use with a great pleasure parts of the heritage of both the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union.
RESPONSE
Historical revisionism and recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the occupation of the Baltic States.
Peter the Great conquered Estonia and Livonia following the victory against Sweden and signing Nystad peace treaty in 1721. Lithuania was annexed by the Russian empire by the end of the 18th century following the partitions of the Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth.
Until the middle of the 19th century, the economy of the Baltic countries developed mainly thanks to agriculture, fishing and forestry; it is speculative to draw conclusions about the benefits to these economic sectors from the imperial power.
In Lithuania the Russian empire limited the rights and privileges of local nobility and pursued at different periods of time Russification policies, e.g. forbidding the use of the Latin alphabet or prohibiting Lithuanian press.
In Latvia and Estonia, where the dominating nobility was German, local peoples did not receive any significant autonomy; parts of modern-day Latvia which were annexed to the Russia-proper received oppressive Russian laws. The Russification period in Estonia and Latvia intensified during 1880-1890s.
After regaining independence at the end of WWI the Baltic States were occupied by the Soviet Union, following the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and its secret protocols between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. The Soviet occupation of the Baltic States lasted for 50 years, during which tens of thousands of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian citizens became victims of violent repressions and deportations.
See further debunk by the Insider.
See related disinformation claim alleging that The Baltic states should be grateful to Russia because the Soviet Union protected them. Read more about how the pro-Kremlin media attempt to portray occupation as a privilege.