The controversy stems from leaflets (see cover image), which carried the logo of anti-misinformation site Propastop along with that of the Narva Museum, and which juxtapose an image showing a Narva school building destroyed in the March bombings, with a school in the Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr, damaged in an attack two years ago.

The Russian Federation is the Soviet Union's successor state, as stated in a constitutional amendment.

Aleksei Mägi, who is in addition to being a councilor also a member of the museum's supervisory board, said: "It is unacceptable to compare events from the last century, in 1944, to those of the current war in Ukraine. The two events are in no way related. I maintain my opinion that Maria (Smorževskihh-Smirnova), the director of the Narva Museum, must apologize for an action like this."

Fellow councilor and museum board member Vadim Orlov, also demands explanations from the museum director.

The director herself said a conflict of values is at play, adding she does not intend to apologize, and arguing that the bombing of Estonian and Ukrainian cities shares common traits.

"The same mindsets," as Smorževskihh-Smirnova put it.

"One crime was presented as if it had been carried out by the Germans, not the Red Army," she said – referring to the fact that the destruction of Narva was indeed presented by Soviet propaganda as the work of the retreating nazi German forces.

Now, we see how it currently happens in Ukraine, how Russian propaganda presents it — they supposedly do not bomb civilian targets, etc. Not to mention what actually happens in Ukraine — the war," said Smorževskihh-Smirnova.

The Narva Museum's supervisory board includes three representatives from the city's government and three from the central government. Six years ago, under pressure from Narva deputies, the council had to replace the then museum director, due to a previous conflict.

Another supervisory board member, Jaanus Villiko, said: "I think that this time, actually, it won't come to that. This can be seen as an 'art project,' and art is sometimes meant to provoke, sometimes to unite. This time it seems to have been the first of these, but that's probably as far as it will go."

The issue of the leaflets is nonetheless to be discussed at the Narva Museum's supervisory board meeting early next month.

The Estonian Museums Association (Eesti Muuseumide Liit) has backed Smorževskihh-Smirnova as director.

The association noted that: "It is important to stress that the founders of the SA Narva Museum are: The state of Estonia, and the City of Narva, meaning the museum's activities are based on the official positions of the Republic of Estonia, including through support for Estonia's positions on the war in Ukraine."

"The museum's task is to address sensitive topics and current societal issues, serve communities, and support values accepted in society. SA Narva Museum has succeeded in this," the association added.

According to the association, the Foundations Act outlines the board's competence to plan the foundation's activities, while the board should not interfere in the museum's daily content activities.

"We do not believe it right for supervisory board members appointed as representatives of the owner (ie. the state and the city – ed.) to express attitudes and opinions which go against those of the state of Estonia, and to incite people to hostilities via social media. We propose considering recalling the supervisory board, and appointing new members whose actions would be based on the laws of the state of Estonia," the association added.

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