During Putin's elections, Russian activists conducted an exit poll outside the embassy. According to the results, the longer a person has lived in Estonia, the more likely they are to support Vladimir Putin, Daniil Martikainen-Jarlukovski writes.
In theory, immigrants arriving in Estonia should integrate. A seemingly straightforward process. If a person has attitudes that significantly differ from those of the local society, as a result of integration, they should at least come to accept, if not adopt, local views.
Citizens from former Soviet republics often move to Estonia, and the historical and political narratives in many of these countries significantly differ from those in Estonia. Despite all these countries having suffered the occupation of the same regime, many have a positive or neutral retrospective view of it.
For example, a positive attitude towards the Soviet Union could lead to a generally favorable opinion on censorship, repression, or dictatorship and tends to manifest in dreams of seeing the Soviet Union restored, which is naturally problematic for Estonia.
Volunteers surveyed people leaving the Russian embassy on Putin's election day and discovered that the longer someone has lived in Estonia, the more likely they were to vote for Vladimir Putin. Among those who have lived in Estonia for less than ten years, many voted for Davankov, whom some oppositionists offered as a protest vote candidate, and many simply spoiled their ballots as a form of protest. Putin was almost not supported at all.
However, those who have lived here for over ten years boldly stated they voted for Putin, and a noticeable portion declined to answer. The latter behavior was not seen among groups that have lived here for a shorter time, indicating their true preferences.
Russians who have lived in Estonia for a long time have lost touch with reality. For them, Russia is not the country that rigs elections, attacks its neighbors, and kills prisoners.
Lost sense of reality
A person who arrives in Estonia with attitudes that greatly differ from those of the locals should start seeing things more like Estonians as a result of integration. However, it turns out that life in Estonia seemingly turns decent opposition-minded people into Putinists. It seems impossible, but in reality, this situation has a logical explanation.
Those who have arrived here recently remember the censorship, persecution, and violence well. They have seen how police brutally suppress protests, how activists, and perhaps even their acquaintances, go to prison for their beliefs, and how freedoms continue to be restricted.
Among the reasons, of course, is Russia's invasion of Ukraine and all related issues, eventually leading to the realization that Russia is not a good place, and one would prefer not to have anything to do with its government. Many are even eager to distance themselves from it and take steps towards that end.
However, Russians who have lived in Estonia for a long time have lost touch with reality. For them, Russia is not the country that rigs elections, attacks its neighbors, and kills prisoners. The Russia for Russians in Estonia is a place with cheap prices, exciting entertainment, and a familiar language everywhere. They have probably heard something about the war, but the fact that many places in Russia are affordable with an Estonian salary and require no knowledge of another language overshadows the negatives.
What is the solution?
I noticed this phenomenon when I first started living in Estonia. I must admit, I had not seen such fanatical fans of Russia in Pskov as I have in Estonia, except for a few elderly outliers here and there. Residents of Pskov were rather apathetic and thought they were neutral, even though they contributed to the regime.
While they may have hated Ukrainians or the Western world, they did not particularly love the Russian government, either, even if they were happy to work for it. Greed, rather than love, was the reason for their work and contribution. Yet, in Estonia, there are genuine, active fans who go and vote for Putin. This was shocking at first, and while I may be used to it now, it does not make the situation normal.
Solving this problem is no simple task. We are talking about people who have not been interested in local opinions for years. Fortunately, we can be sure that there is no Russification of new immigrants in Estonia. It is unlikely that someone wanted in Russia for their opinions would become a Putin supporter here. However, we need to reach the local Russians to break their currently ignorant or even supportive attitude towards Russia.
The events in Russia and Ukraine need better coverage. While the exhibition «Hetk» («Moment») or the display of a Russian army tank may have been unpleasant for some, they achieved their goal and informed people of the facts. We might not be able to change the minds of long-standing supporters by making them think and raising awareness, but we can at least ensure that the younger generation does not become similar supporters.