Why do some utterly irrelevant countries like Estonia and Latvia hate Russia so much?

Question

I noticed this just recently, reading the news about the situation in Eastern Ukraine and the comments on some English language sites with a lot of Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish and Estonian users. I always knew that they didn't like Russia much but I had no idea that the hate was so real. But why? I don't remember the last time Russia did anything bad to them. And neither do these 17-24 y.o. internet warriors that are comparing Russia to Nazi Germany. Whatever happened after the WWII is a thing of past, shouldn't they get over it already?

Answer 1

Well, objectively speaking, they're not irrelevant. We are located in the East of Europe, have some family ties (both Russia-Ukraine-Belarus' and the Baltics), history and trade relations etc. What affects us always affects them to some degree.

I live in Kiev and in my "block of flats" there are 4 families who have relatives in Estonia (they're easy to recognize by their vehicle registration plates). And this is only one "block of flats" in only one city. So, I assume there are thousands of such families.



Now, about the heavy... "hate" will exist and thrive as long as it's promoted, inculcated and supported by brainwashing media and educational system, which in the Baltics are not that different from those in Ukraine. They're taught to hate Russia, from their very childhood... They're not taught (or taught to ignore), that there were thousands of their own guys among bolsheviks' supporters (these https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latvian_Riflemen for one), just like Poles always ignore the fact that Felix Dzerzhinsky (who is often called "father of KGB") was actually Polish born in Belarus'... and many many many other "not-so-pleasant" facts. We, the Rus', will live through this one; it's not for the first time in history they act like ADHD kids... such a pity, I have a thing for Estonia(ns) in particular, they'd be truly awesome if not that stinky russophobia implanted into their brains by jWestern brainwashing machine.

Oh, and those hateful users, whom you've mentioned, are probably very proud of the fact, that Western "Ukrainian" zio-fascists, who overthrew the Ukr. govt this winter, were trained by NATO guys in Estonia and Poland. So, even here... there is a connection. Sometimes, hatred "unites".



UPD

Q: "What does the Estonian/Latvian government get from brainwashing their kids?"

A: a lot of jAmerican $$$$$$$.

Also,

I AM objective; even despite their russophobia I still support their economy since I do buy their clothes and sea products, here in UA and RU. Let alone the fact, that I'm one of MILLIONS of Russians/Ukies traveling to the Baltics ("investing" my money into their tourism industry).

Answer 2

I am from Poland and I detest Russia. First of all they killed both my grandparents..... Also They invaded Poland and controlled us for 40+ years with a life of misery. They committed many acts against us. One being Katyn. That is when they kidnapped 22,000 Polish officers and shot them all over a ditch. Why? Because they where Polish. Also during the Warsaw uprising the Poles decided to kill of the last of the Nazis in Warsaw, and Russia was supposed to join in and help the Poles. While A QUATER OF A MILLION POLES GOT KILLED, where was Russia? Sitting at the other side of the river waiting for the Poles to all get killed so they would have less Nazis to kill. For years, they did nothing but enslave us. My family worked on a farm, and one year there was a drought. He wasn't able to make enough food to give to the Russians so he was sent to Siberia. Every Pole has stories from this time about acts committed upon us, and it only ended 25 years ago. The real question is what did we do wrong? We never had a problem with Russia until they walked all over us. I grew up with hardly any family. Hardly any money, and this is all because of Russia. And now to see Russia coming into Ukraine brings back the memories. So us "utterly irrelevant" countries have a pretty damn good reason to hate Russia and you have no right to tell us other wise.

Answer 3

As an Estonian, yes, I do hate Russia. Why you ask? Because of 50 years of occupation and massive deportations, which affected my family too. My grand-grandmother was sent to Siberia, she had to live there for 11 years before she could return to Estonia, and even then she wasn't allowed to return to her real home.

Just to point it out, we did not join SU voluntarily, but were annexed by SU for almost 50 years. That's where the hard feelings come from.

Answer 4

well i know very, very little about the Baltics (estonia, latvia, lituania) so can't say about them...but as to Poland: I know they had bad memories from russia since ww2 and communism afterwards. Also...poland hasn't been a great or respected country ever since the Polish-Lituanian commonwealth. These days they're viewed as the "less tougher part" of eastern europe...and that's bad i guess since they have high salaries but not high enough to be considered part of west europe, nor are they as tough as the balkan countries, russia or ukraine. So...for now they're frustrated.

Answer 5

Maybe because the Kremlin wants to espouse an ideology that is irrelevant to the people of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, namely becoming provinces of Russia?

Answer 6

What? Russia didn t do anything bad??? 50 years of occupation and massive deportations to Siberia. We were annexed by SU for almost 50 years. I live in Latvia so I understand. Our history is horrible. We were all repressed and they brainwashed the media and the educational system. And people are still mad because of what Russia is doing RIGHT NOW to Ukraine. I doubt we will ever forget the horrific things they did to our people.

Answer 7

Because Russia used to rule over these countries, when they were part of the USSR - when it was a communist dictatorship - at a time when other political views and parties were banned,and when Russia's political opponents were sent to Siberia for hard labour.



These countries are not irrelevant. No country is irrelevant. People all over the world live in different countries, some large, some small.



Only an imperialist and a hater would say other countries are irrelevant.

Answer 8

Oh, it started before 2WW. Baltic sates joined the Soviet Union in 1940, but all are equal before the law, irrespective of their nationality and date of joining. Hamlets residents was dekulakized and evicted to the Ural and in Siberia like and other peoples from Russia (more 80% popularity of Siberia are descendants of the kulaks, by the way, my family including, thought they lived along the Volga) and ethnic russians were

resettled to their place and somewhere was to 50% of the total population. By 1940, Soviet authorities (by the way, look for thier nationality and count on the fingers of russians) has learned to make it very quicly, that baltic popularity wasn't able to understand what really happened and started to accuse who was in front of the eyes i.e. russians, despite the fact that they were resettled the same forcibly. Later everything is simple - children learn that thier parents teach them.

All slightly different with Ukraine and started even in XVII, but was well forgotten in soviet times (and we was brother even though a couple of gangs of traitors), but was skillfully imposed since the beginning of the 90s (And who would that be?...) that turned into such result.

Answer 9

Can I just say how dare you think the Latvia and Estonia are "irrelevant" and also search Russia's war history and you'll see how many countries the ****** up

Answer 10

They are in NATO and they are on Russia's border. That makes them relevant to the U.S. as a weapon against Russian influence. The U.S. and Russia are competitors for Ukraine's resources.



The sovereignty of these insignificant countries wont be breached because there is no reason for it. However, there are people in the U.S. and Britain trying to portray Putin as their enemy. The more the U.S. beats war drums, the more money U.S. companies make. The people dont hate Russia in the modern era.



Russia did the Crimeans a favor, and tried to assist in eastern Ukraine but he was stopped by the U.S. threats and by U.S. support for the fascist Kiev government.

Answer 11

Many in these countries believe that the Soviet Union was merely Russian Imperialism dressed in a Hammer and Sickle flag. They argue that the atrocities visited on their countries by the Soviets were, in reality, Russian atrocities.

Further to this is the fact that many, particularly in the Baltic, fought the Soviets in WWII - joining the Nazis. In Estonia one of my friend's grandfather died fighting for the Nazis at the Battle of Narva - despite having many (Estonian) Russian friends and serving in Afghanistan with the Soviet army, he hates Russia and Russians (from Russia) with a passion (the first time I met him he threatened me with an AK because I speak Russian - we get on well now).

In his village, about 50 miles from Tallinn, there is a memorial in the churchyard to the local people who died in WWI, WWII, the Gulag during the Soviet period and Estonia ferry sinking. Apart from WWII the longest list of names is from the Soviet period.

http://www.monument.ee/vinni-vald/viru-jaagupi-leinamuur

(Can't believe I found a picture of it!)



For many countries in Eastern Europe the divisions and hatred that existed, sometimes for centuries, were put on hold during the Soviet period - only to reemerge following the collapse of the USSR. History, even ancient history, can be relevent, visceral and utterly consuming for many people in countries that have seen countless invasions, occupations and atrocities.



BTW - why do you think that these countries are irrelevent? They are not.

Answer 12

You need to read your history books, no people do not get over things. If you think Nazi Germany killed a lot of people you need to understand just how many the USSR killed and oppressed under the combat boot.

Answer 13

The way you phrased this question is an answer in itself. We aren' taught or told to hate Russia. Russians inflict it on themselves by being, first of all, chauvinistic, smug c*nts, and second by invading dozens of times and slaughtering millions of people. Pretty much everyone in my family who lived in the 40s was killed or deported.

Answer 14

No one has ever told me to hate russians. I just hate them because of the things they did to us. I m not a neo-nazi or anything but i would ve prefered to be under Germany s rule during ww2 and after. Btw im Estonian

Answer 15

Some people have very long memories. They haven't forgotten the repression that the former Soviet Union imposed. My grandfather was Ukrainian, both born and raised, and married my grandmother there, and he truly despised Russians. He was there and I wasn't.

Answer 16

They are "irrelevant" unless you were born, live and work there. What a condescending way to ask a question.

Answer 17

They're not irrelevant.

Answer 18

Russia is independent country and they are not.