Opinion: Fake news or hidden truth in Lithuania

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Lithuanian Ministry of Defence reports about consistent attempts to spread disinformation, taking advantage of the pandemic crisis.

According to the analysis of the Strategic Communication Department of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, coherent efforts to spread disinformation (i.e. "fake news") building on the pandemic; such as the news about (1.) a U.S. soldier in Lithuania infected with the coronavirus, or the (2.) intent of the Ministry of National Defence to continue conducting international military exercises, have been monitored for the past several months.

Yesterday the Ministry of National Defence reported about a "fake" email letter from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg which was delivered to the Minister of National Defence of Lithuania informing him of a decision to withdraw NATO forces from Lithuania.

"News like this is aimed at sowing distrust in the unity of allied partners and NATO," Karoblis said in a press release.

The Ministry of Defence is again forced to make excuses due to the fact that Lithuanians trust it less than before. Nevertheless, there is a very real reason for this distrust. Let's take, for example, the news about a US soldier, as they say, allegedly infected with the coronavirus in Lithuania. This news was called fake. Soon, the Ministry of Defence had to inform about outbreak of COVID-19 among foreign troops. More than 20 soldiers were infected.

Ordinary people could make a simple conclusion that this news was not really fake!

The other news about alleged intention expressed by the Defence Ministry not to halt international military exercises could also be true. The later conducted military exercises with the participation of foreign troops in Lithuania proved this news, too.

As for the last so called fake Jens Stoltenberg's e-mail about the withdrawal of NATO troops from Lithuania, we will see".

The Ministry of National Defence does its best to refute such news in the national mass media. Does it really believe that residents do not see the obvious? I could recommend to pay attention to the comments to the articles.

Here are only some of them:

"Time has come to kick out uninvited guests. Invaders are not needed."

"It is not fake news, it is a desire to return Lithuania to normal life with the observance of the constitutional norms. But our authorities neglected the Constitution and and have led Lithuania to NATO. That is why NATO troops withdrawal could be the first step on the way of leaving NATO."

"This news could be true!"

"I consider Karoblis to be the main fake news' maker."

"It's not that the news is false, but that this military contingent in Lithuania is useless, expensive and completely unnecessary. Take it out. Foreign troops are ABSOLUTELY nothing in terms of security---unless the threat of crime and infections of various kinds is reduced."

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