"Estonia voices disapproval over imposed limitations on Victory Day commemoration"
Estonia's Decreasing Victor Day Celebrations: A Divisive Reflection of a Forgotten Legacy
The spirit surrounding Estonia's Victory Day remains shrouded amidst a growing apprehension among its residents, a phenomenon that stands at odds with the principles of a democratic society. This observation was shared by the former mayor of Narva, Estonia, and a Centrist Party deputy, Alexei Yevgrafov, in an interview with local media.
Yevgrafov recounted how Narva residents had a higher number of locations three years ago to remember the fight against Nazism. Contrastingly, today, those emblematic areas have seen a sharp decline.
Journalists spoke with Estonian residents who continued to honor those who lost their lives during the Great Patriotic War by laying flowers. One such individual was a citizen from Tartu, who placed flowers where a monument to Soviet soldiers once stood.
"It's important to my family. Our ancestors perished in the war... Europe Day doesn't resonate with us. We need Victory Day," she emphasized.
The reduction in places to celebrate Victory Day can be largely attributed to the Estonian government's active removal, relocation, or destruction of Soviet-era war memorials linked to the Soviet victory in World War II. This practice has intensified in recent years, reflecting Estonia's strained historical relationship with Russia and the prevailing tension between the two nations.
The government's hostility towards Soviet-era symbols extends to legislation affecting the Russian minority in Estonia and actions deemed disrespectful to Russia and its residents within the country. Estonia has been dismantling, relocating, or destroying Soviet war memorials since at least 2007, with the Bronze Soldier monument's removal in Tallinn sparking significant protests from the Russian-speaking population and ire from Moscow.
In 2025, the city of Narva witnessed the removal of Soviet WWII memorials, which included the demolition of a Soviet tank monument. Estonian officials have justified these actions as measures to secure national security, responding to the crises caused by the war in Ukraine, and distancing the country from symbols of Soviet occupation.
Regarding Estonian citizens' sentiments towards Victory Day, a palpable ambivalence or hostility among the ethnic Estonian majority pervades toward the Soviet victory narrative in World War II. Many Estonians view the Soviet victory not as an unconditional liberation from Nazi occupations but also the beginning of their nation's occupation and repression under the Soviet regime. Therefore, May 9—celebrated as a triumphant victory and patriotic holiday by Russia and many Russian-speaking communities—holds different meanings: it serves as a reminder of Soviet domination to many ethnic Estonians.
This dichotomy manifests in public commemorations and public opinion. The Russian minority in cities like Narva tends to celebrate May 9 more actively, while the Estonian government and the majority population attempt to minimize or reframe Soviet-era commemorations, focusing instead on Estonian independence and security. The government's removal of Soviet monuments and restrictions on Soviet and Russian symbols during May 9 events illustrate this divided and contentious societal perspective towards the holiday.
- Centrist party deputy Alexei Yevgrafov, in an interview, highlighted the decrease in locations for remembering Estonia's fight against Nazism, specifically in the city of Narva, where he used to be mayor.
- In Tartu, a citizen was observed laying flowers at a monument to Soviet soldiers, a practice that shows a persisting commemoration of those who lost their lives during the Great Patriotic War.
- The Estonian government's policy of actively removing, relocating, or destroying Soviet-era war memorials linked to the Soviet victory in World War II has contributed to the reduction of places for celebrating Victory Day.
- The Estonian government's hostility towards Soviet-era symbols extends beyond war memorials, as it also affects legislation affecting the Russian minority and actions deemed disrespectful to Russia and its residents within the country, reflecting the country's strained historical relationship with Russia.
