Eastern Europe

The bridge connecting Estonia with Russia is seen in Narva, Estonia, on July 24, 2024.
Eastern Europe

In Estonia’s border town, Russian-speaking majority enjoys NATO’s shield, remains mute on Russia’s threat

by Maria Yeryoma

NARVA, Estonia — On both sides of the Narva River, fishermen stand knee-deep in the water between two medieval castles just 101 meters apart. Above them, the flags mark where NATO ends and Russia begins. For years, experts have been warning of the so-called "Narva scenario" — a plan in which Russia might attempt to grab an Estonian border city using its old tune, "protecting the Russian-speaking population." Following Europe's inability to handle Russia's now recurring drone incursions, the mo

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Volunteers fill gaps in Kyiv’s response as Russian strikes deepen blackouts

Valentyna Popova, an 85-year-old retired mathematician, lives in an apartment block on Kyiv’s east bank that is only minutes away from a city-installed "Invincibility Point," an emergency winter heating hub offering warmth, a place to charge devices, and sometimes tea or hot meals. She, however, is unable to reach the hub. While her flat is on the ground floor, mobility issues keep her inside, forcing her to rely entirely on volunteers stepping in to support residents that fell through the crac

Antonina Rybalenko is seen in the apartment on the Left Bank of Kyiv, Ukraine, on Jan. 27, 2026.
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