Estonian Border Town to Unveil “Putin–Hitler” Poster on May 9

The Narva Museum in Estonia will again display a poster labeling Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal on the wall of Narva Castle this May 9.

This practice has taken place annually since 2023. A previous version of the banner showed a combined image of Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Putin, referred to as "Putler," to identify them as war criminals, according to ERR on May 4.

Narva Museum Director Maria Smorževskihh-Smirnova explained the significance of the timing and location. She stated, "The poster will be displayed on the flag tower of Narva Castle on May 9, Europe Day, as a reminder of the war that is currently ongoing and of Russia's war crimes against the Ukrainian people." She added that for the museum, this is an important symbolic moment that has special meaning because Narva  is a border city.

In addition to the poster, the museum is planning three events focused on the impact of war and the importance of memory. An exhibition titled "Mariupol — City of Happiness, City-Ghost" is scheduled to open on May 7. The museum will also host a free documentary screening and a discussion on the same day. Smorževskihh-Smirnova invited the public to attend, noting that while the event is free.

On May 8, the Narva College of the University of Tartu will host the Second International Conference "Culture and the Border." The director mentioned that they have worked to make the event accessible by providing an online broadcast link to everyone who registers.

The museum director emphasized that the institution aims to be a space for open conversation about current events. She concluded, "For us, it is fundamentally important that the museum remain not only a guardian of heritage, but also a platform for open and meaningful dialogue about the present. This is especially important now, when such discussions have become difficult, but necessary."

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While these events take place in Estonia, activities are also visible on the other side of the Narva River in Russia. A stage with a screen is being built to broadcast Victory Day celebrations. These simultaneous displays highlight the starkly different narratives present at the border during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In March 2026, a wave of pro-Russian social media posts emerged, promoting the idea of a "Narva People’s Republic" in eastern Estonia.

Estonian intelligence sources noted that the messaging mirrored the narratives used by Moscow-backed actors during the 2014 intervention in Ukraine. According to the Estonian security police agency KAPO, the activity was a disinformation operation intended to sow confusion and undermine social cohesion within the country's Russian-speaking communities.

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