Narva: On the edge of Europe

Narva, Estonia, is Europe’s easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. As tensions rise in Europe after Russia’s spring 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the city occupies a fragile space between the European Union and the Russia. There’s a constant stream of traffic over the bridge connecting the city to Ivangorod, Russia, and Saint Petersburg is only a two-hour drive away. Shops and services in Narva source some of their materials across the border in Russia; the language is shared and even after the sanctions were put in place, the prices are lower than what can be found in Estonia or elsewhere in the EU. In June 2022, Putin declared that efforts to reclaim historical Russian territory “applies to Narva,” leading many in the city to reevaluate their support for the Russian president. 

A fancy limousine for hire with gold rims and a large hood ornament stands in a parking lot near Soviet-era khrushchyovka apartment blocs in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. The city was practically leveled during World War 2 and was rebuilt with Soviet-style apartment buildings.
People carry a casket down the steps of the Narva Icon of Our Lady Church, a Russian Orthodox church, after a funeral in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
A statue of Russian revolutionary Vladmir Lenin stands in a corner of a courtyard outside Hermann Castle in Narva, Estonia, on Thu., May 12, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.  Hermann Castle is also known as Narva Castle, Narva Museum, Herman Castle, Hermanni linnus, Hermannsfeste, and Narva fortress
A water tower stands on top of a tall residential apartment building in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. The city was practically leveled during World War 2 and was rebuilt with Soviet-style apartment buildings. The building was designed by Estonian architect Henno Sepmann and built in 1969.
A sign indicates the way to the Russian-Estonian border station in the center of Narva, Estonia, on Thu., May 12, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
A billboard advertises cheap prices on building materials at a store in Ivangorod, Russia, overlooking the Friendship Bridge linking Ivangorod, Russia, in the distance across the Narva River, and Narva, Estonia, seen from a park in Narva, Estonia, on Thu., May 12, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
People ride a public bus in central Narva, Estonia, on Fri., May 13, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
An elderly woman looks at produce for sale outside the Grossi shopping complex in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
A tree with cut branches stands next to a Soviet-era khrushchyovka apartment bloc in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. The city was practically leveled during World War 2 and was rebuilt with Soviet-style apartment buildings.
Tatjana (pink jacket) and Alexei are a Ukrainian couple from Ukraine who have been living in Narva, Estonia, since 2019, seen here in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. 

The couple work in a sushi restaurant with other Ukrainians who've moved to Narva. From 2013 to 2016 they all worked in a sushi restaurant in Kiev, Ukraine, and gradually moved to Narva and all work together in the Estonian city.
Sunset light illuminates tree leaves near garages in a neighborhood in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
Aleksandr, a cobbler from Baku, Azerbaijan, operates a small shoe repair shop in the corner of buildings where car mechanics work near the abandoned Kreenholm manufacturing facility in Narva, Estonia, on Thu., May 12, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. Aleksandr says that he's been operating the shop in this location for about 12 years and pays 40 euros per month in rent for the shop. He says that gets his repair materials on periodic trips to Saint Petersburg, Russia, which is only a two-hour car or bus trip from Narva, but that sanctions relating to Russia's invasion of Ukraine have made that difficult in recent months. The materials he uses to repair shoes are much cheaper to purchase in Russia, he says.
Pastor Vladimir Sednev delivers a sermon during the weekly Wednesday night worship service at the charismatic Christian Word of God Church in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Word of God is translated as Слово Божье (Slovo Bozhe) in Russian. Though this church is in Estonia, Narva is Europe's most Russian city and the church service was delivered in Russian language rather than Estonian. The worship services are highly produced and streamed live on youtube. 

The Word of God Church emphasizes the power of prayer and money donation as a part of their faith. This evening's sermon focused on the power of prayer, especially regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine. Pastor Sednev spoke about prayer healing different diseases and read scriptures from the Book of Daniel and Book of Isaiah. "I want to be  church of prayers," Sednev said during the Russian-language sermon, "I want to pray about prayer.... As I see conflict in Ukraine I want to pray much more." Throughout the sermon Pastor Sednev said he would pray about the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia, the people of Narva, the people of Europe, and other groups.
A woman walks down a stone staircase behind garages and apartment buildings in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
Soviet-era khrushchyovka-style apartment blocs are seen reflected in a puddle after a rainstorm in Narva, Estonia, on Thu., May 12, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. The city was practically leveled during World War 2 and was rebuilt with Soviet-style apartment buildings.
A woman prays inside the Narva Icon of Our Lady Church, a Russian Orthodox church, in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
An electrical box and streetsigns hang from an electrical pole in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
A customer browses wood for sale at Wood Stock, a lumber and wood supply store in the basement of an apartment bloc, in Narva, Estonia, on Thu., May 12, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.  Despite the ongoing tensions with Russia over the invasion of Ukraine and widespread economic sanctions, Wood Stock sells both Estonian- and Russian-sourced wood.
An empty, discarded single-serving bottle of Zolotaya Korona (Gold Crown) vodka lays on the ground in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
A woman smokes a cigarette and talks on a cell phone next to an apartment building in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
A boy runs past a closed shop door in the first floor of a Soviet-era khrushchyovka-style apartment blocs in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. The city was practically leveled during World War 2 and was rebuilt with Soviet-style apartment buildings. A shadow of a tree is cast on the wall of the building.
A coin-operated pair of binoculars looks toward Ivangorod Fortress in Ivangorod, Russia, across the Narva River from the Estonian bank in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
Flowers grow in pots and on a window sill outside an apartment bloc in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
Wooden swings hang in a rudimentary playground in a courtyard surrounded by Soviet-era khrushchyovka apartment bloc in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. The city was practically leveled during World War 2 and was rebuilt with Soviet-style apartment buildings.
An elderly man stands on the Estonian border on a cliff above the Narva River looking toward Russia in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. As tensions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine rise, there have been calls to halt border crossings from Russia to Eastern Europe, including this border crossing. In the distance, a electrical power generating station is seen on the Russian riverbank.
A rug hang dries on a line on an apartment bloc balcony in the evening in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022.
Laundry hangs to dry on lines standing in the courtyard behind Soviet-style khrushchyovka apartment buildings in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. Most of the city was leveled during World War 2 and the city was rebuilt with these Soviet-style apartment blocs.
Aleksandr fishes from the Estonian bank of the Narva River across the river from Russia in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
People walk through the empty and abandoned Kreenholm Manufacturing Company textile factory as part of a Russian-language tour of the building in Narva, Estonia, on Thu., May 12, 2022. The Kreenholm mill was built in 1857 by Russian cotton magnate Ludwig Knoop and went bankrupt in 2010. The Narva Museum organizes weekly tours of the facility.
Kids play in a newly-built skatepark in Narva, Estonia, on Tue., May 10, 2022.
An older woman in a green jacket waits for a bus along an empty street outside the central market in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. The city was practically leveled during World War 2 and was rebuilt with Soviet-style apartment buildings.
People walk along the bridge border crossing over the Narva River from Russia (at right) to Estonia in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. As tensions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine rise, there have been calls to halt border crossings from Russia to Eastern Europe, including this border crossing.
Lights illuminate individual apartments in run-down looking Soviet-style khrushchyovka apartment buildings in Narva, Estonia, on Wed., May 11, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. Most of the city was leveled during World War 2 and the city was rebuilt with these Soviet-style apartment blocs.
People ride a train to Tallinn from Narva, Estonia, on Fri., May 13, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia.
A Soviet-era khrushchyovka-style apartment bloc stands over smaller houses in the outskirts of Narva, Estonia, on Thu., May 12, 2022. Narva is Europe's easternmost and most Russian city (approximately 95% of the population is Russian) and sits on the border with Russia in northeastern Estonia. The city was practically leveled during World War 2 and was rebuilt with Soviet-style apartment buildings.