“Kremlin Leaks: Russia’s Plan to Influence Baltic Countries and Reduce NATO Presence”

“Businessmen must be enticed with lucrative contracts and politicians loyal to Russia must be sponsored”. This is how Russia will save its influence in the Baltics, the Kremlin’s leaked strategy shows, according to the media.

The Swedish newspaper The Express have together with a group European and American media gone through what they refer to as leaks from Putin’s administration in Moscow.

Previously, they discussed how Russia had plans to take over the neighboring country of Belarus, as well as a hybrid warhybrid warThis means that the conflict is a mixture of conventional military operations and irregular means such as cyber attacks, sabotage, terrorism and so-called influence operations. against Europe’s poorest country, Moldova.

Leaked plans

Now Expressen describes how Russia is allegedly working to save its influence in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, while we know that several of the neighboring countries are distancing themselves from Russia.

The plans are to be made by the “Directorate for International Cooperation”, part of Putin’s presidential administration, associated with, among other things, the Russian security and intelligence service.

They deal with goals and risks up to 2022, 2025 and 2023, the newspaper writes.

Will sponsor politicians

The overall goal should be to reduce NATO’s presence and influence, and strengthen Russian influence and culture.

Some of the methods discussed are about supporting and sponsoring politicians in these countries who are positive towards Russia, as well as creating businesses and organizations in the countries that can covertly promote pro-Russian narratives.

Russian-speaking students must be invited to Russia and propaganda for Russian culture must be spread. Alleged discrimination against Russian speakers must also be mentioned.

They also want to work for Soviet monuments from the Second World War to be preserved, and see the demolition of statues or such monuments as a threat, according to the newspaper.

These are recognizable methods from Moldova and Belarus, they write.

Lucrative contracts

According to the media, Russia plans to attract the loyalty of powerful people in the countries through lucrative business contracts.

“Working with Estonian businessmen for the Russian Federation’s opportunity to open the Russian market to them in case of a positive correction of Tallinn’s foreign policy towards Moscow,” it says in the document about Estonia, writes Expressen.

– Tactics taken from the KGB

The Prime Ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been given access to the content of the leaked documents before publication.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas is not surprised.

– Estonia, our allies and partners have long been aware of Russia’s interest in using such tactics to achieve their goals and try to assert their influence in other countries, she says.

– It is Russia’s classic game, many of their tactics are taken directly from the KGB, she adds.

The strategies were written in 2021, before the invasion of Ukraine, and parts of them may now be outdated, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė points out.

She highlights energy independence as an important part of the Baltic’s response to the Russian threats.

But the document specifically points to disconnection of Russia’s power grid as a potential risk from neighboring countries.

– We know our neighbour

– We have purposefully reduced the presence of Russia and its allies’ interests in Latvia, and in our economic and information sphere, to reduce the chances that our eastern neighbor will influence Latvia’s chosen political course, says Šimonytė.

Estonia’s prime minister calls the Russian plans an attack on democracy.

– It is no surprise that the Kremlin is trying to attack democracies by trying to undermine the integrity of elections, use corruption as a weapon, spread disinformation and undermine unity among allies, she says.

She points out that this year there are elections in many countries, and believes that one must be extra vigilant against attempts to influence.

– We know our neighbour. Our job is to continuously share our knowledge of Russia’s actions, build resilience and resist Russia’s direct and indirect attempts to influence.

– We have had to strengthen our defenses to stand up to all threats, including hybrid threats. And it is also important to discuss these matters publicly, says Kallas.