Ever since Estonia regained independence in 1991 from the Soviet Union, it has been living on the edge. And, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began four years ago, has aggravated the condition. So much so that the tension can be felt precipitously in its border city Narva – a coastal city in East Estonia, barely 101 metres from Ivanogorod in Russia.
The demographics of this city are a major point of concern for Estonians, as a majority of those residing in Narva can speak Russian (97 per cent). Also, nearly 33.2 per cent of the residents have Russian passports, while 12.5 per cent have grey passports (no citizenship). Only about 50.5 per cent are Estonians.
The bridge over the Narva River separates the city, which is Estonian, from Ivanogorod, which is in Russia. All through the year, residents of Narva make trips crossing over to Russia, as they have family there – as a result of which the authorities maintain constant vigil. St Petersburg is a two-and-a-half-hour journey from Narva.
Before the outbreak of Covid, the train which went from Estonia to Russia was always full. However, that service was discontinued due to the pandemic and hasn’t yet resumed, because of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“We were under Russian administration from 1939 to 1991, and so much of our freedom was curtailed then,” says Erik Liiva, a border security official posted in Narva. “We are apprehensive of a military escalation at all times. There are drones that maintain constant vigil, and we have increased our levels of security and frisking across the border post.”
Incidents of Russian military men entering Estonia are often reported. Besides, there is an issue of the transportation of illegal drugs from across the border. “We avoid military escalation or any kind of skirmish, as we don’t want to go to war with Russia and would like to have peace on our borders,’’ Liiva adds. Estonia, as a NATO ally, enjoys US support and is confident that things would be brought under control, if there was any escalation.
Before Covid, nearly 27,000 people used to cross the border daily. It’s now dropped to 1,500. The border security used to operate around the clock earlier, but now, it is operational only from 7 am to 11 pm. Tourist visas have been cancelled; also, there is no vehicular movement. People cross over on foot and use local transport after reaching the other side.
Inflammatory messages
“I was 14 years old when we got independence and remember how things were then,” Maria Smorževskihh-Smirnova, director, Narva Museum, told Business India. “Many Estonians were sent to Siberia, some of whom we never heard of after that. We understood what freedom was only after we got it. However, at present, nearly every other day, we get updates of inflammatory messages from across the border.” In January this year, charges were levelled against Smirnova in absentia for spreading ‘fake news’ about the Russian army. A Moscow court even sentenced her to 10 years in prison.
Reconstructing Narva’s architectural and cultural heritage was a major task after gaining independence. The city was destroyed, so a lot had to be done to revive it. The infrastructure was rebuilt. “We have now built a new system of values, European values, which are important for us. In my childhood, we lived under the pressure and control of the Soviet Union,’’ Smirnova adds.
The Russian side, through its news, often refers to Narva as its own territory, and that becomes a major point of concern for Estonia. Locals in Narva are concerned about their future, and a possible escalation by Russia is often feared. “I am married to a Russian, and we live like any other couple. As a country, I like Russia (though I am Estonian), but it’s the politics of Russia that I feel concerned about,” Indrek Kõverik, chef and owner of Franzia Restaurant in Narva, told Business India.
While Narva appears like any other town, the residents often feel the undercurrents of tension and fear, as a result of which they maintain a round-the-clock vigil.