Estonia Must Counter ‘Hostile’ Russian Propaganda, Adviser Says

Estonia’s plans for a Russian-language television channel will seek to counter propaganda from the regime of President Vladimir Putin amid tensions over the Kremlin’s intentions in the Baltic region, according to a government adviser.

Russia’s “hostile information flow” aims to widen rifts between Estonians and ethnic Russians, who make up a quarter of the Baltic country’s population, Ilmar Raag, who’s been advising the government on “psychological defense” since January, said in an interview in Tallinn on Monday. Estonia is seeking a viable Russian community that will keep its identity, while Russia is exploiting “old problems” that play on concerns about their future, Raag said.