How to deal with Russian soft power?
Russia's war against Ukraine is increasingly perceived not just as a military conflict, but as a battle against the Western way of life as a whole. A glance at Europe's media reveals that at many different levels the question of how to deal with direct and indirect Russian influence is being posed.
Political campaigns disguised as promotion of culture
According to research by Eesti Ekspress, Kremlin funds flow systematically to private individuals who influence public opinion in Estonia. Eesti Päevaleht summarises:
“This is a unique insight into the secret world of Russian influencers. ... The Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad (known as Pravfond) is undoubtedly a Kremlin tool with close links to the Russian secret services and their subversive activities. ... Many individuals who have lived for years in Western countries, including Estonia, pursue pro-Russian policies, presenting themselves as 'defenders of minorities' and 'Russian culture and language', but they do so as instruments of the Kremlin. Very deliberately.”
The logic of hate on social media
Anyone who scans the social media channels of Russian residents in Estonia will discover a disconnected parallel world, Postimees observes:
“What we see there is an 'alternative Estonia'. It has a completely different geography, history, legislation, statistics - and even different laws of physics and world order. ... The logic there is also completely different. At first glance these groups actually make a decent impression: announcements of local events, links to Estonian Russian-language media outlets. But if you look at the comments under any post, the abyss of hatred becomes apparent. ... These groups also have a useful function, however, in that they help people to let off steam.”
Language as a vehicle for mentality baggage
Only five percent of Lithuania's population are ethnic Russians but the Russian language exerts a lot of influence there, security consultant Aurimas Navys writes on Bernardinai:
“What language do Lithuanian youths swear in? Mostly in Russian. ... Eighty percent of our population understands Russian. ... Those who have a good command of a language often adopt the mindset of the people who speak it. The fact that 80 percent understand Russian is a consequence of the occupation - and at the same time the reason why the mentality of many has hardly changed even after 35 years of independence. My hope lies with young, wonderful people who don't speak Russian, but who make good films, found companies, work in corporations, etc. Perhaps they are naive because they grew up in a better environment. But they're not burdened with any Russian mentality baggage.”
No ban on Russian ice hockey team, no Olympics
As the Ice Hockey World Championship takes place in Denmark and Sweden - with Russia having been excluded - Aftonbladet calls for a boycott of the 2026 Winter Olympics games if the IOC allows the Russian national team to compete:
“Putin is using ice hockey as a political instrument. The star player of the Russian national team, Alexander Ovechkin, has taken part in official support campaigns and the regime's propaganda. ... If Russia is allowed to participate in the Olympic Games, the national hockey associations, coaches and players must jointly oppose this. Three Crowns [the Swedish squad] will not compete against Putin's team.”