Narva: where the free world begins and ends
20 December 2024
Perched on the edge of NATO’s eastern frontier, the Estonian city of Narva, home to 56,000 residents, 96% of whom speak Russian as their first language, has become the best illustration of how the Kremlin is ramping up its provocations and hybrid warfare tactics.
Surveillance blimps, described as “zeppelins,” now appear near Narva on an almost weekly basis, sometimes marked with the ominous “Z” symbol of Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. “It’s intentionally visible,” Egert Belitšev, Estonia’s border force director, told The Independent. “They want us to know they’re watching.”
Meanwhile, other provocations include Russia moving border buoys in the Narva River back in May, 12-hour queues to cross the border worsened by deliberate Russian slowdowns, and death threats from some Narva residents to the director of Narva Museum, Maria Smorzhevskikh-Smirnova, because the museum, just 101 meters from the Russian border town Ivangorod, has displayed a banner declaring “Putin is a war criminal” for two years. These tensions peak during Russia’s annual Victory Day celebrations, when massive speakers across the river blast Kremlin propaganda, such as speeches by Putin, towards Narva.
 | Emily Vutt The stakes for Narva are high. In 2022, Putin hinted at “taking back” the city, marking it as a key target in Russia’s propaganda efforts. As Narva’s residents endure long border waits and growing tension, its significance as NATO’s last outpost remains high. Here, the struggle between democracy and authoritarianism is felt daily. Border restrictions and anti-tank barriers, installed as precautions against potential incursions, remind locals and travelers how close they are to conflict. Narva is, as one Estonian border guard described, “where the free world begins and ends.” |
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