Tarot readings fuel fears of war in the Baltic region

Tarot readings are being used as alternative sources of information by people worried about security in the region, LSM reported on Monday. Recent reports about unusually high NATO air activity near Kaliningrad, a visit to Moscow by CIA Director John Ratcliffe and alleged new Russian drone bases along the country’s western border have heightened concerns, although Latvian officials say the level of military threat has not changed.

One tarot reader, who says she lives in Kharkiv, Ukraine, has more than 340,000 followers on TikTok, a social media platform, and her videos have received more than seven million likes. Although her readings cover a range of topics, many focus on politics and geopolitics, particularly regional security.

In one reading published in Russian at the beginning of August, she said a war in Europe would lead to one million deaths and leave one million people homeless, particularly in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. She urged people with real estate in the Baltic states or western Ukraine to consider selling it, saying they could otherwise quickly become homeless.

On August 19, the day media reports described unusual NATO air activity near Kaliningrad and prompted speculation, the tarot reader predicted a partial occupation of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. She said she did not see a land corridor being established and again advised people to sell their property while it still had value.

There is no basis for claiming that the tarot reader is deliberately trying to frighten or mislead people. However, her reference to a land corridor echoes previously circulated disinformation about the Suwalki Corridor, including false claims that residents were leaving the region en masse because of fears of war.

The Suwalki Corridor is the territory connecting the Baltic states with the rest of NATO territory.