The Claim:
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev falsely claimed in posts published to his Telegram and Twitter/X accounts that Latvia does not exist and that its president, Edgars Rinkevics should be executed. Medvedev has made similar statements in the past that falsify history.
Medvedev’s X post has been viewed by over 1 million Twitter/X users and retweeted by accounts within far-left and far-right networks.
Medvedev’s translated Telegram post that accompanied the below image:
“I present to my Western friends an alternative photo option peace formulas for the Kyiv Nazi pack (based on materials from the trial in Kharkov in 1943). And there will be bastards hanging out there, shooting at civilians in our cities, and with them, posing as the president of the non-existent country of Latvia, a nonentity named Rinkevics, who wished the death of Russia. Memento mori (remember death)!”
The Facts:
Latvia is recognized by the international community, and the United Nations, as an independent nation. Russia recognized the independence of Latvia on September 6, 1991 and re-established formal diplomatic relations with Latvia on October 4, 1991.
Calling for the execution of the president of Latvia, or any head of state, is completely inappropriate for any state official, and could be considered as an incitement of hate towards all Latvians.
Narrative Context:
The Kremlin and Vladimir Putin have long challenged the legitimacy of nations that were held captive and colonized by the Soviet Union. These narratives, along with the manipulation of historical facts, have been employed by Vladimir Putin to falsely justify his invasion of Ukraine. Over the past two decades, the Russian government, along with its influencers and proxies, has denied the Soviet Russian occupation of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, as well as the crimes committed by the Soviet regime, including the mass deportations orchestrated by Moscow.
This narrative is designed to undermine the sovereignty and legitimacy of the Latvian nation and its democratically elected government. For domestic Russian audiences, it aims to stoke extremist nationalist sentiment. Abroad, it seeks to connect with Kremlin-aligned networks on both the far-left and far-right, with the goal of eroding Latvia’s reputation and that of President Rinkevics within these groups.
Screenshot of Medvedev’s Telegram post.
Below is a short film produced by NATO about the post-WWII resistance movement in the Baltic States.
