On May 16, 2023, Former Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev falsely claimed on Twitter that the Baltic States – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – belong to Russia, referring to them as “our Baltic provinces”
The Tartu Peace Treaty signed by both the Estonian and Soviet Russian representatives clearly defined the border between Estonia and Russia – and included on the Estonian side territory that has since been annexed by Russia. Similar treaties were signed between Soviet Russia and Latvia, and Lithuania.
On August 23, 1939, Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler signed a friendship pact that facilitated the coordinated start of WWII between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia.
The Baltic States were invaded and illegally occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. After a falsified referendum organized by Soviet Russian authorities, the Baltic States were illegally annexed into the Soviet Union.
The Baltic States regained their independence in 1991.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have experienced various occupations throughout their history – not just Soviet Russia.
German Teutonic Knights
In the 13th century, the Baltic region, including parts of present-day Estonia and Latvia, was conquered by the German Teutonic Knights. They established the Livonian Order, a crusading military order, and ruled the area until the 16th century.
Swedish Empire
During the 17th century, Sweden emerged as a dominant power in the Baltic Sea region. It occupied and controlled the entire territory of Estonia and Latvia, along with parts of Lithuania, from the late 1500s until the 1700s.
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Following the decline of the Swedish Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took control of the Baltic States. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was a federal monarchy that included Lithuania, parts of present-day Latvia, and a significant portion of Ukraine and Belarus. This occupation lasted from the early 18th century until the late 18th century.
Russian Colonial Empire
In the late 18th century, the Russian Empire gradually expanded into the Baltic region. Through the partitions of Poland, Russia took control over much of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia by the early 19th century. The Baltic States remained under Russian colonial rule until the aftermath of World War I.
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