The volunteer-run anti-propaganda Propastop blog published an article last week after its authors tracked information about a supposed separatist movement – the "Narva People's Republic" – in Estonia's eastern border town on social media.

Over the past month, social media accounts have popped up promoting the idea of separating Narva and Ida-Viru County from Estonia and creating a so-called Narva People's Republic.

"At first glance, the content appears to be a mixture of internet memes, cat pictures, and provocative jokes. A closer look, however, reveals a clear narrative in which Narva is portrayed as a separate political entity and the idea of establishing a so-called Narva People's Republic is promoted," Propastop, which is run by Defense League members, says.

The channels used to spread the disinformation have a small number of views, less than 100 when the article was published.

"Narva People's Republic" memes are spreading: flags, maps, and "autonomy" jokes framing Narva as separate from Estonia.

Edgy humor? No—the messaging echoes the 2014 Donbas propaganda playbook: stoking ethnic tension to normalize separatism.

Analysis ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/TlXl4NEQez

— Propastop (@propastop) March 11, 2026

ISS: Information operation

Marta Tuul, a representative of the Internal Security Service (ISS), told Delfi there is reason to believe this is an information operation aimed at sowing confusion and undermining social cohesion.

"Such tactics have been used before both in Estonia and in other countries. It is a simple and cheap method to provoke and intimidate society," she said.

"This is a provocation and participating in it may bring criminal consequences," the ISS representative warned.

At the government's weekly press conference on Thursday (March 12), Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) made similar comments, calling it an information operation created by Russia to sow confusion.

ERR's Head of Radio News Indrek Kiisler criticized both Propastop and Michal for fanning the flames of the "marginal" accounts with a "handful of followers" by drawing attention to the subject.  

"Millions of similar absurdities circulate online, and are not worth paying attention to," he wrote.

Delfi's Russian-language website wrote after interviewing residents in Narva that "most of the city residents surveyed are skeptical about the idea and do not see any point in it." Others had not heard about the social media posts or dismissed them as "nonsense" or a Russian information operation.

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