"Just days earlier, three MiG-31 Russian fighter jets had entered and stayed in Estonia's airspace above the Gulf of Finland for 12 minutes, prompting the Estonian government to call rare article 4 consultations with Nato allies over a risk to territorial integrity, political independence or security. Estonia upped the stakes by bringing the issue to the UN security council in New York where western allies warned of dire consequences of further breaches. Donald Trump signalled his support for shooting down Russian jets."
"But Narva, closer to St Petersburg than the Estonian capital, Tallinn, is complex: 98% of its population is primarily Russian speaking and, while not a homogenous group, international news can be perceived quite differently here, as it is in other such communities in Latvia and Lithuania. The view from Narva looking across to Russia. Photograph: Hendrik Osula/The Guardian For some it is consumed through the prism of Russian TV, banned in Estonia but easily accessible at this proximity to the country."
A proposal to build a military base on Narva's outskirts surfaces amid regional security alarms following Russian aircraft incursions into Estonian airspace. Estonia invoked NATO article 4 consultations and raised the matter at the UN security council as western allies warned of consequences. Drone incursions and disruptions in Denmark, Poland and Romania have heightened fears of hybrid warfare across Europe. Narva sits on the border with Russia, separated by a narrow river and guarded by concrete defenses and a security gate. The city's population is overwhelmingly Russian speaking and receives news through varied and proximate Russian media channels, complicating local perceptions of security measures.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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