An Estonian general distributes flags with the coat of arms of the city of Narva and the Estonian flag.Image: EPA/EPA
An Estonian online platform reports on the founding of several groups on Telegram, Tiktok and VKontakte that are calling for the proclamation of the “Narva People’s Republic” on the Estonian-Russian border. Estonia’s Prime Minister speaks of a disinformation campaign by Russia.
Mar 16, 2026, 6:04 p.mMar 16, 2026, 6:04 p.m
The Estonian online platform Propastop, which is close to the Estonian volunteer defense organization “Kaitseliit” in Estonia, warns in a recent article before recent developments in social media. Accordingly, new social media groups are being founded on Telegram, Tiktok and VKontakte, which want to proclaim an independent people’s republic in the Estonian city of Narva on the border with Russia.
Narva – center of the Russian-speaking minority in Estonia
It is hardly a coincidence that the city of Narva is the target of this, according to Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, a targeted disinformation campaign. The third largest city in Estonia is located directly on the Russian border and is considered the capital of the country’s Russian-speaking minority. Around 95 percent of the population speaks primarily Russian, and family and cultural connections to the neighboring country continue to shape the lives of Narva’s approximately 54,000 residents 35 years after the end of the Soviet occupation of Estonia.
«Russian land – from Narva to Püssi»
The content of the online groups shows that they are not concerned with Russian-Estonian culture. In posts and memes, the autonomous Narva People’s Republic is proclaimed, with its own anthem, flag and military identification symbols. A graphic shows two armed men in front of the floor plans of the self-proclaimed People’s Republic, below which is the sentence: “Russian land extends from Narva to Püssi,” another Estonian city west of Narva.
The groups call for the “autonomous Narva People’s Republic” to be defended. image: Screenshot Telegram
Parallels to Ukraine
Although the online channels currently only have a small number of followers, their appearance has made the Estonian security authorities sit up and take notice. The Propastop platform sees parallels to the proclamation of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics in Ukraine in 2014. The groups would essentially work towards normalizing the secession of Estonian territory, Propastop writes. Marta Tuule from the Estonian Security Police speaks to the Baltic news portal Delfi of an “easy and inexpensive way to divide and intimidate society.” (July)