In the spring Russia launched a separatist campaign in Estonian social media. Viktor fled eastern Ukraine in 2014, now settled in the city of Narva and fears the same occupation scenario may repeat here.
If Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, it’s pretty obvious, very obvious, that the Baltic Nations & Poland are next on his ‘Empire Restoration Agenda’. Only the incredible resilience of the Ukrainian People has prevented that from happening already. With regards to the mixed propaganda campaigns, it is unfortunate, sad, and true that people are always susceptible to the message that ‘things would be better if” (fill in the ________) only you let the monster inside your home. If I were being subjected to that message, I would ask the simple question, ‘If things are so great in Russia, then why are you here bothering me?’…Thanks for your wonderful reporting on such horrible times.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for your support! What do you think is the most effective way countries can strengthen resilience against propaganda and disinformation campaigns without it effecting free speech?
Most effective? Speak the truth. Admit when mistakes are made. Expose the lies being told and expose who the liars are! But - and this is huge - human nature is that we want to believe things could possibly be better somewhere else. This doesn’t translate well, but I call the phenomenon, “Some Day Isle.”. Someday I’ll be rich. Some day I’ll have the new car, the new home, the great job. Someday everyone will recognize how smart, decent, and caring I am. And this phenomenon is extremely seductive. So for me, the best disinfectant is the bright light of spreading sunshine, sunshine on who the liars are, on what they are, on what life is like under the thumb of the liars. Shine a light on Chechnya. Shine a light on the destruction of Eastern Ukraine. Shine a light on what life is like for rural Russians. Shine a light on the poverty, the hopelessness and the endless stream of lies. And never stop. You cannot change the fact that the human condition always is to think things look better from afar. But you can show them what ‘Afar’ looks like close-up. And remind people who the monster is. Every day. Thanks Anna
A moving portrayal of Viktor and the situation in Narva. I hope things go well for him. And sounds like the Estonians are doing some good work in preparing their defenses.
Why does this continue to be effective? Especially now, when the world has seen what horror shows the occupied areas in Ukraine are or thankfully, were? Resources are no problem when you have a population willing to let you roll in.
Ethnic minorities should be required to learn the language of the majority or emigrate to their home country. Russia is playing the same card that Hitler played, claiming people of their ethnicity in another country are being mistreated as an excuse for invasion and annexation. This goes against the UN Charter, but this has been abused too often.
I wish people weren’t so gullible.
If Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, it’s pretty obvious, very obvious, that the Baltic Nations & Poland are next on his ‘Empire Restoration Agenda’. Only the incredible resilience of the Ukrainian People has prevented that from happening already. With regards to the mixed propaganda campaigns, it is unfortunate, sad, and true that people are always susceptible to the message that ‘things would be better if” (fill in the ________) only you let the monster inside your home. If I were being subjected to that message, I would ask the simple question, ‘If things are so great in Russia, then why are you here bothering me?’…Thanks for your wonderful reporting on such horrible times.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for your support! What do you think is the most effective way countries can strengthen resilience against propaganda and disinformation campaigns without it effecting free speech?
Most effective? Speak the truth. Admit when mistakes are made. Expose the lies being told and expose who the liars are! But - and this is huge - human nature is that we want to believe things could possibly be better somewhere else. This doesn’t translate well, but I call the phenomenon, “Some Day Isle.”. Someday I’ll be rich. Some day I’ll have the new car, the new home, the great job. Someday everyone will recognize how smart, decent, and caring I am. And this phenomenon is extremely seductive. So for me, the best disinfectant is the bright light of spreading sunshine, sunshine on who the liars are, on what they are, on what life is like under the thumb of the liars. Shine a light on Chechnya. Shine a light on the destruction of Eastern Ukraine. Shine a light on what life is like for rural Russians. Shine a light on the poverty, the hopelessness and the endless stream of lies. And never stop. You cannot change the fact that the human condition always is to think things look better from afar. But you can show them what ‘Afar’ looks like close-up. And remind people who the monster is. Every day. Thanks Anna
Please live on and keep writing. We need your views.
A moving portrayal of Viktor and the situation in Narva. I hope things go well for him. And sounds like the Estonians are doing some good work in preparing their defenses.
Thanks, Anastasiia and Mariana.
Thank you for your kind words Paul!
Why does this continue to be effective? Especially now, when the world has seen what horror shows the occupied areas in Ukraine are or thankfully, were? Resources are no problem when you have a population willing to let you roll in.
I voted yes because of the third possibility. The third possibility is that Russia will invade Estonia whether or not it’s got the resources to do so.
...and so it continues on.
Ethnic minorities should be required to learn the language of the majority or emigrate to their home country. Russia is playing the same card that Hitler played, claiming people of their ethnicity in another country are being mistreated as an excuse for invasion and annexation. This goes against the UN Charter, but this has been abused too often.