Photographs taken by ERR in Narva on Wednesday (May 7) show the Russian authorities' preparations for Friday's concert. Several stages have been erected on the edge of the city, close to the edge of the river and next to Ivangorod Fortress, which faces Estonia.

A host of famous performers are due to visit the city for the concert, which marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in 1945.

Similar concerts were also held in 2023 and 2024. Narva residents watched from the opposite banks but turnout in the town of 53,000 was low, according to reporters who covered the events.

On May 9, Russia emphasizes its victory over Nazi Germany and its role in "liberating" countries that were occupied by it. However, for Estonians, it marks the start of the USSR's second occupation of Estonia which only ended in 1991. 

While Europe's message on May 8 aims to celebrate peace and unity, Russia's has increasingly focused on showing its military might to "unfriendly countries" – those in NATO – and boasting that it can wage more wars.

Mayor: No cause for concern

Mayor of Narva Katri Raik said she is not worried about the event and called it a Russian domestic matter.

"Residents of Ivangorod are happy when such stars come to them. I am happy for the residents of Ivangorod and Kingisepp. We do what we consider right on our land. Russia does the same," she told ERR's Russian language service.

She added that Narva is always in the spotlight on May 9.

"On this day, many officials from Tallinn always come to Narva to watch the concert on the promenade. And if people [Narva residents] want to watch the concert, they can watch the Ivangorod concert or the concert on Town Hall Square [in Narva]. They have a choice. This is democracy. I am completely calm about this," she added. "I ask everyone to be calm and not to show aggression."

This week, Estonian, EU, Ukrainian and Narva flags were hung on Narva Castle's walls, which face Ivangorod. 

The Police and Border Guard Board usually increases its presence in Tallinn and Ida-Viru County around May 9, and it will do so again this year. The agency has banned public gatherings between May 8-10 in Harju, Lääne-Viru Viru, and Ida-Viru counties that support aggression.

Displaying symbols linked with support for Russian aggression in Ukraine – such as Soviet symbols, the Tsarist-era orange and black St. George's ribbon, and "z" signs – are also banned.

ISS: Russia exploiting Narva residents' emotions

The Internal Security Service (ISS/KAPO) wrote about the "propaganda concert" in its 2023/2024 yearbook. It said Russia is looking for new ways to carry out influence operations and called the event a "highly visible public action."

It put the attendance figure on the Estonian side of the river in 2023 at approximately 2,000.

"This does not imply that the entire audience shared Russia's current views and values. Some were there out of curiosity, while other Narva residents used the occasion to commemorate their relatives who perished in events of World War II – an annual tradition on May 9," it wrote.

However, organizers of the "concert-cum-political-rally" attempted to add an "inappropriate and cynical, aggressively political layer of meaning to the commemoration of war victims, exploiting the emotions of Narva residents." 

"Against the backdrop of commemorating victims, attempts were once again made to incite opposition-based historical narratives and revive old enmity arising from historical controversy," the yearbook said.

You can read about why May 9 is a controversial day in Estonia here.

Galleries from previous Victory Day concerts in Narva can be seen below.

May 9, 2023

May 9, 2024

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