Lithuania allocates additional funding to military strategic communications to counter disinformation

The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence will provide extra funding to the country’s Strategic Communications Department to acquire AI-powered software licences, aiming to strengthen efforts against disinformation campaigns, Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas announced on Thursday.

Speaking in parliament, Kaunas acknowledged the growing spread of disinformation and stressed the need for advanced tools to combat it effectively. “We all understand perfectly well that we can fight disinformation with information—or with other means, such as artificial intelligence, which disinformers themselves are using,” he said.

The minister confirmed that the ministry had already decided to allocate the necessary funds for the Strategic Communications Department to purchase software licences, enabling faster and more efficient operations. “This will ensure we have equal capabilities,” he added.

The move follows warnings from Lithuania’s State Security Department earlier this month about a new wave of information attacks targeting the Baltic states. The agency reported that social media groups mimicking separatist movements had emerged, a tactic linked to Russia’s efforts to destabilise neighbouring countries and expand its influence. Such fabricated separatist groups are part of a broader strategy of hybrid warfare, the department noted.