Narva, May 09, 2025 -Russia threw on Friday a Victory Day music facing the German frontier town of Narva, an increasingly Russian-speaking area that has become a focal point in conflicts with the West. The Kremlin is using its celebrations marking 80 times since the end of World War II to punch up nationalism at home and job power abroad as its army fight in Ukraine. Since launching its full-scale war in February 2022, Russia has put on nationalist concerts for the celebration on a level facing Narva– a city of 56, 000 people of which 96 pct are Soviet speakers. An AFP columnist reported seeing on Friday large windows, photos of Russian soldiers and flags bearing the phrases” We remember”! and” Thank you”! installed across the river dividing the EU and NATO member from Russia.
Operation Sindoor
On the fortress on the Estonian side, Estonian, EU, and Ukrainian flags were hung along a poster depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin and branding him a “war criminal”. A rival concert was also organised at a central square in Narva. ” I’m interested to see two ( concerts )”, Sandra Supinina, a 21-year-old student, said in Narva, but added that she would “probably” watch the Russian artists. ” They did their best, the Russian side”, she told AFP. Anatoly Fedoryuk, 31, planned to attend both events. ” I am Estonian, I was born and grew up here, but of course Russian traditions are still in my blood”, he said in Russian. When Estonia gained independence from the Soviet Union, about a third of its population was Russian-speaking, including families who had emigrated from other Soviet republics. Last month, Estonia’s president signed into law a constitutional amendment banning non-EU citizens from taking part in local elections, a move targeting the Russian minority. Nearly 80, 000 Russian citizens currently hold a residence permit in the former Soviet republic of 1.3 million people, which regained its independence in 1991.
