DISINFO: The Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service has become a Russophobic propaganda machine
SUMMARY
The Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service has become a Russophobic propaganda machine. Its latest 2021 security report is propaganda and psychological warfare aimed at portraying Russia and its foreign policy in a negative light.
RESPONSE
The geopolitica.ru article repeats pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative attempting to depict Western accusations of aggressive Russian behavior as baseless and driven solely by "Russophobia". This narrative is often targeting the Baltic States and Poland. See a recent EUvsDisinfo insight.
The claim that Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service (EFIS) is a “Russophobic propaganda machine” is incorrect. The main function of EFIS (Välisluureamet) is to collect, analyse and report on Estonia's external security threats.
The annual report International Security and Estonia 2021 prepared by EFIS covers, among other topics, the Russian hybrid threats to democracy and security in Estonia and the Baltic States because the recent history of Estonia does include hybrid and cyber attacks.
The report by EFIS also highlights pro-Kremlin disinformation campaigns that target NATO and attempt to undermine relations between Estonia and the European Union . The report also analyses Russian disinformation campaign about Western vaccines against COVID-19 (page 5), Russia's continuing aggression against Ukraine (page 16), and the psychological warfare targeted against Western countries conducted by Russian intelligence services (page 61).
The 2021 International Security and Estonia report is part of a broader framework of activities to protect Estonia’s national security.
Read similar cases claiming that Western criticism of Russia is due to Russophobia, that Russophobia is the basic ideology of politicians in the Baltic states, and that Russophobic Baltic NATO-States are responsible for turning defensive NATO-alliance into confrontation with Russia.