Russia's Ivangorod intensifies propaganda activities against Narva
A new town square is being built on the river banks of Russia's bordertown Ivangorod which will be used to show propaganda events to citizens in Estonia's Narva.
For the last two years, Russia has organized propaganda concerts on the banks of the Narva River on May 9, the day World War Two ended.
Russia commemorates May 9 as Victory Day, when it says it liberated Europe from the Nazis in 1945. However, for Estonia, it was the start of a second Soviet occupation that only ended in 1991.
The temporary screens and performances could be seen across the water in Narva, Estonia's border town.
The city has now decided to create a more permanent place for performances by building a new city square next to the Ivangorod Fortress. A statue of Russian Tsar Ivan III is being considered.
The city's Mayor Aleksandr Sosnin told Interfax news agency that, in addition to the concert on May 9, the residents of Narva will also be shown other events introducing Russian culture.
Construction work on the new square is already underway. It will be opened on May 9, 2025 when Russia celebrates the 80th anniversary of Victory Day.
Narva city councilor and historian Katri Raik said Russia will do what it wants.
"We know that Russia is very strong in propaganda and soft power, so there is not much we can do about that. On its side, Russia, of course, will create exactly the kind of narrative it wants. The Ivan III monument, for its part, is another clever move by Russia. During his time, the unification of Russia began, and he was the tsar who initiated the construction of the Narva fortress. It's a pretty effective influence tactic," she told "Aktuaalne kaamera."
"What should we do? Estonia must certainly invest in Narva's cultural life, in fostering Estonian-oriented and Estonian-language culture. We must keep calm and stay level-headed."
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Editor: Helen Wright
