OSINFO - Open Sources Information

Text of report by Latvian newspaper Latvijas Avize

[Report by Mara Libeka: "Kazocins as Component in Information War"]

Ever since a Russian diplomat was expelled from Latvia [in January], newspapers which are close to the Kremlin have been focusing stronger attention on the director of the Latvian Bureau to Protect the Constitution [SAB], Janis Kazocins, claiming that he is obeying orders from the British special services.

The federal weekly Rossiyskii vesti, for instance, published a commentary by Dmitriy Yermolayev in its issue of 23-30 January in which the author worried about the expulsion of a diplomat just at a time when, for the first time since the restoration of Latvia's independence, the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, visited Riga and when there were plans to present the Russian ambassador with Latvia's highest honour - the Order of Three Stars. Instead, write Yermolayev, the "present" given to the ambassador was the expulsion of a Russian diplomat. "Where is the answer to this riddle?", asks Yermolayev. He has an answer - the entire situation can be blamed on British General Janis Kazocins, who is of Latvian origin. The decision to expel the Russian diplomat was taken after "this gentleman" demanded that it be taken. Kazocins, writes Yermolayev, received instructions directly from London to say that the diplomat must be proclaimed persona non grata. He adds that there is another bit of intrigue in what happened. There is a harsh battle on the Latvian political stage, you see, between the governing coalition, which is run by local oligarchs, and the opposition, which is headed up by New Era. "And so we see that despite his important job, Janis Kazocins bowed before the opposition, not the coalition," writes Yermolayev.

The idea that Great Britain and the USA have much influence on Latvia's special services and that the special services have become vassals in the western battle against Russia has also been presented in the Russian newspaper Argumenty Nedeli, in an article called "London Attacks Through Riga." This newspaper, too, claims that the Russian diplomat was expelled from Latvia at the orders of the British special services. The British newspaper The Daily Mail has reported in response that Argumenty Nedeli has links to the Russian espionage service FSB, which at one time was run by none other than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Latvian Response

All of these claims in the Russian mass media are carefully analysed by the Latvian Information Analysis Department (IAD), which is close to the prime minister. Its director, Andris Brekis, has his own theory about why the Russian press is so strongly focused on Kazocins at a time when his term in office is coming to a close.

Brekis: "The newspaper Rossiyskiye vesti was the first to write about Kazocins as a man who takes orders from the British special services. That is a newspaper which rose from the ashes quite recently because the Russian presidential administration became one of its publishers. The newspaper was basically bankrupt, but then it received substantial investments from the administration, and it recovered very well. People who write for this Kremlin-related newspaper include the author of the aforementioned article, Dmitriy Yermolayev - the former third secretary at the Russian embassy in Latvia who, after completing his diplomatic career here, was put on the Latvian blacklist and was refused an entry visa. That makes it quite understandable that his article is full of informational viruses about Latvia. These viruses are disseminated, and in pursuit of the goal, they are also subject to mutations in the Russian language newspapers here in Latvia, too."

History of Misinformation

Brekis said that articles with such misinformation in the Russian and the Latvian information space have been an ongoing issue ever since the restoration of Latvia's independence. Usually the articles are linked to specific events, and it is certain that in March the papers will again be writing about the rebirth of fascism in Latvia and the like [March 16 is the date when some Latvians commemorate the Latvian Legion, a military unit in the German armed forces during World War II]. "We are accustomed to this informational war, and we know that the Russian special services use the press publications that are close to them to publish misinformation with the single goal of influencing public opinion in a way that is favourable to Russia. Russian authors believe that the Latvian government lacks independence, is incapable of taking decisions, and is subject to some abstract diktat from the West - that is seen in the fact that the director of the special service is an employee of another country's special services and so on. This disinformation unquestionably has an effect on public opinion," admits Brekis.

The IAD director insisted that the concept of an information war is increasingly appearing in the public arena these days. Recently very high-ranking Russian government officials admitted publicly that Russia had begun an information war against the western world. They said nothing, however, about the fact that this war has been waged for many years, ever since Soviet times. Back then the special services trained people who then went to work for various press publications. It is far easier for them to work in the modern information space, because developed technologies mean that the availability of information is at a far higher level.

Brekis believes that against this background of misinformation, the public concerns in Latvia that Kazocins might be replaced - concerns which have been reproduced in the Latvian mass media - are not without justification, even though a political discussion about the matter has not yet begun. Brekis: "I know of no such discussion, although it has appeared in different press publications. The re-election of the SAB director is a very sensitive question in the local political environment, and particularly in the environment that is not friendly toward Latvia. Russia hates the fact that counterespionage functions in Latvia are handled at a high level of quality. When I talk to politicians who work for the executive branch of government, however, I see nothing to suggest that Kazocins should be replaced. Given the political circumstances which prevail, the procedure will be strictly observed. Proposals on the SAB director will be considered by the National Security Council."

Brekis said that the information environment right now is one of the most dangerous aspects of Latvia's security situation. The Latvian population is small and also crumbled, so it is easy for totalitarian regimes which have access to press publications and obeisant editors and journalists to affect public opinion. "The information war is a major process, and the press is just one element therein," said Brekis. HE added that the IAD analyses all press publications that are published in Latvia, except for regional newspapers, as well as major press publications from Russia and other countries. The IAD submits analysis of information about the special services to the National Security Council. Once every four years, it submits an analysis of threats against the state to the government. That analysis is used as the framework for conceptual documents about national security which are made public. In order to prepare the report, says Brekis, his department needs to know what the newspapers are writing.

Brekis: "Each year, as March 16 approaches, there are information campaigns against Latvia. The Russian press writes about fascism in Latvia and the rebirth of neo-Nazism. I think that the relevant services will make sure that any commemorative events at the Freedom Monument on March 16 will be very civilized, they will be controlled in a democratic way. Our services have the relevant experience, and each year the situation is better."

Source: Latvijas Avize, Riga, in Latvian 14 Feb 08