Event 813

{
  "attack_type": "Propaganda",
  "category": "InfoOps",
  "confidence": "Low",
  "confidence_rationale": "Multiple direct quotes from Lithuanian officials and institutions warning about Russian info-ops, and explicit details on social media ads.",
  "country": "Lithuania",
  "defense_prep": {},
  "description": "Advertisements offering Russian passports without requiring individuals to renounce their Lithuanian citizenship have appeared on Facebook. Lithuanian authorities warn these ads may also serve as a recruitment tool for Russian secret services.",
  "event_time_utc": "2025-03-31T12:00:00Z",
  "evidence": [
    "Ads offering Russian passports to people in Lithuania appeared on Facebook.",
    "Lithuanian institutions warn these ads may serve as Russian intelligence recruitment tools.",
    "The Central Migration Agency, a Russian entity, runs the passport ads.",
    "Lithuanian Foreign Ministry: decision to take Russian passport exposes one to risk of participation in Russian aggression.",
    "Crisis Management Centre urges citizens not to engage with such offers and to inform authorities."
  ],
  "evidence_quotes": [
    "Advertisements offering Russian passports without requiring individuals to renounce their Lithuanian citizenship have appeared on Facebook.",
    "these ads may also be used as a recruitment tool for the Russian secret services, Lithuanian institutions have warned.",
    "\"Russia is seeking to identify certain individuals who may be sympathetic to or have some sentiments towards that country, to possibly exploit them in the future,\" said Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the State Crisis Management Centre.",
    "According to the centre, the ads are published by a private Russian company, the Central Migration Agency, which runs a so-called repatriation programme approved by the Russian government.",
    "In a written comment, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said it was illegal for the country's nationals to hold multiple passports, without first securing an exemption.",
    "The decision to take a Russian passport would also 'expose men to the possibility of being drafted to participate in Russian aggression in Ukraine', the ministry said.",
    "The Crisis Management Centre has urged citizens not to provide any information or engage with those offering Russian passports and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities."
  ],
  "evidence_urls": [
    "https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2525103/russian-passport-ads-target-people-in-lithuania"
  ],
  "extra": {
    "category_raw": "Propaganda",
    "extra": {
      "extra": {
        "extra": {
          "evidence": [
            "Ads offering Russian passports to people in Lithuania appeared on Facebook.",
            "Lithuanian institutions warn these ads may serve as Russian intelligence recruitment tools.",
            "The Central Migration Agency, a Russian entity, runs the passport ads.",
            "Lithuanian Foreign Ministry: decision to take Russian passport exposes one to risk of participation in Russian aggression.",
            "Crisis Management Centre urges citizens not to engage with such offers and to inform authorities."
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "fifth_column_countries": [
    "LT"
  ],
  "follow_up_by_country": [],
  "headline": "Russian passport ads target people in Lithuania",
  "media_assets": [
    {
      "description": "Screenshot capture",
      "type": "screenshot",
      "url": "/media/event_813_1763939355_d3369b62.jpg"
    }
  ],
  "notes": "??Russian government-linked online advertisements in Russian are encouraging ??Lithuanian residents to apply for Russian citizenship, potentially undermining state loyalty and contributing to influence operations.",
  "schema_version": "v1",
  "screenshot_count": 1,
  "sources": [
    "https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2525103/russian-passport-ads-target-people-in-lithuania"
  ],
  "summary_short": "Russian-backed Facebook ads offer passports in Lithuania; officials warn of intelligence, security and legal risks.",
  "url": "https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2525103/russian-passport-ads-target-people-in-lithuania"
}

{
  "5th Column of Russians Inside (which countries)": "LT",
  "Attack Type": "Propaganda",
  "Borders Including Sea, Air,  Violation or Sabotage (which countries)": "",
  "Continuous? (e.g. Jammers)": "",
  "Country (FI;EE;LV;LT;PL;BSR;Air)\nSeparated by Semicolon": "LT",
  "Date": "31-Mar-25",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "",
  "Follow-Up Link?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "",
  "Follow-Up NOTES": "",
  "Follow-Up incl. Investigation, Prosecution?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "",
  "Latitude, Longitude (WGS84, Decimal Degrees)": "",
  "NOTES": "??Russian government-linked online advertisements in Russian are encouraging ??Lithuanian residents to apply for Russian citizenship, potentially undermining state loyalty and contributing to influence operations.",
  "Political Disruptions w/ Laws to Favor Kremlin (which countries)": "",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "Russian-language passport ads target residents in ??Lithuania",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2525103/russian-passport-ads-target-people-in-lithuania",
  "Screen Snapshot": "",
  "Screen Snapshots": "",
  "Type Dropdown": "",
  "Where?\n(Air, Land, Sea)": ""
}