Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine has amplified the ethnic divide in Estonia, raising major questions about security, loyalty, integration, and belonging. Although Russian-speakers, who constitute over a quarter of Estonia’s population, do not constitute a homogeneous group, there is a pronounced ethnic gap in views on a range of politically salient issues, including attribution of responsibility for the war, support for providing aid to Ukraine, attitudes towards Ukrainian refugees, views on Western sanctions on Russia, as well as support for NATO membership. The growing ethnic polarization has implications for party politics and electoral behavior. The multiple manifestations of persisting ethnic, geopolitical, and mnemopolitical divides have reopened debates about the successes and failures of 30 years of societal integration policies in Estonia, while also highlighting the susceptibility of Russian-speakers to disinformation and propaganda promoted by the Russian state and various pro-Kremlin actors. The war can be seen as a critical juncture in Estonia’s minority policies, accelerating derussification in a number of policy areas, notably education, and prompting major debates about the rights of Russian citizens residing in Estonia.

Chair: Prof.Dr. Jochen Müller

A joint event organised by: Interdisciplinary Centre for Baltic Sea Region Research (IFZO); Prof. Dr. Jochen Müller (Political Sociology and Methods); Prof. Dr. Marko Pantermöller (Fennistik)