RIA Novosti Deletes Column Threatening Lithuania with Short War
RIA Novosti published and then removed a column by Alexander Nosovich warning of a short Russian military operation in Lithuania, citing the country's move to lift its constitutional ban on nuclear weapons. The article, which described a potential Russian response involving nuclear strikes, was deleted hours after publication for not aligning with editorial and state policy.
Consensus
- RIA Novosti published a column by Alexander Nosovich on September 25.
- The column was titled 'Russia is facing another SOF. It will be very short.'
- The article discussed the possibility of a Russian military response to Lithuania lifting its constitutional ban on nuclear weapons.
- The article was removed from the RIA Novosti website within three hours of publication.
- RIA Novosti stated the article was removed because it did not align with the editorial stance, editorial policy, or state policy of the Russian Federation.
- The article was published in response to Lithuania's parliament voting to remove the constitutional ban on nuclear weapons.
- The article described a potential Russian military operation in the Baltic region using only missiles with appropriate warheads, without ground troops.
- The article claimed that Europe was seeking a country to serve as a nuclear storage site, with Poland declining and Lithuania becoming a 'useful idiot' for the West.
- Alexander Nosovich is the chief editor of RuBaltic.ru and a member of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.
- Multiple sources confirm that Nosovich is linked to a Russian influence network coordinated by staff from the Presidential Administration and the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).
Points of divergence
- The article was published at 8:00 Moscow time on September 25 and removed approximately three hours later, according to Radio Svoboda. — thebell
- The article referred to Lithuania as a 'country-killer without brains,' a 'useful idiot,' and a 'small but proud kamikaze in Russia's near abroad.' — meduza
- The article claimed that Europe 'sold' Ukraine to Russia, creating a security threat that forced Moscow to act, and that Russia would be compelled to respond if nuclear warheads were deployed in Lithuania. — novaya_eu
- The article mentioned that the Danish intelligence agency assessed the scenario of a limited Russian military operation against a NATO country as 'low but growing.' — tg_dwglavnoe
- The article was published under the headline 'Russia is facing another SOF — this time in Lithuania.' — tg_astrapress
Coverage (14 sources)
- RIA News published a column on a "short SVO" in Lithuania with a nuclear strike, then deleted it — The Bell
- RIA Novosti published and later deleted a column stating that Russia awaits another SVO — Радио Свобода
- RIA Novosti published and then deleted a column titled 'Russia awaits another SVO. It will be very short' — ЭХО / Новости
- Propagandists from RIA Novosti published a column stating that 'Russia awaits another SMO' — in Lithuania. Then they deleted it — Meduza
- RIA News published a column about "another SVO" in Lithuania. Hours later the material was deleted — DW Главное
- RIA News threatens Lithuania with "another short SMO" State propaganda agency published a column... — ASTRA
- RIA Novosti promised «another SVO» — this time in Lithuania. Soon the agency deleted the material — Новая газета Европа
- RIA Novosti published and later deleted a column stating that Russia awaits another SVO — Настоящее Время
- Russia awaits another SVO — Бумага
- RIA News published and then deleted an author's material under the headline — Varlamov News
- RIA Novosti published a column stating that "Russia awaits another SVO" (and deleted it a few hours later) — Дождь (Telegram)
- RIA Novosti promised Russians another very short SVO with Lithuania — SOTAvision
- RIA News threatens Lithuania with "another short SVO" — ASTRA
- State agency RIA Novosti promised «one more short SVO». Now in Lithuania — Агентство. Новости
Key entities
- Lithuania
- Russia
- RIA Novosti
- Alexandr Nosovich
- RIA Novosti
- RIA Novosti
- State Propaganda Agency
- Europe
- Federal Agency
- Moscow
- Ukraine
- Agency
- West
- Georgia
- Mikhail Saakashvili