In early August, several Russian media outlets published stories within the space of just a few hours featuring Elena, a former resident of Estonia, who claimed that life in Russia was significantly better than in Estonia.
At 9:22 a.m. on 6 August, RIA Novosti published an article titled “Former Estonian Resident Describes the Advantages of Living in Russia,” in which Elena praised the quality of service and food in the country.
The article tells us that Elena’s family took part in a Kremlin program designed to help compatriots living abroad resettle in Russia. The family moved to Veliky Novgorod at the end of 2023.
The article itself, however, is pure propaganda, reminiscent of the kind once encountered in Soviet-era Estonia. It includes, for example, the following quote: “We have gained enough experience to appreciate the advantages of living here. I would particularly like to point out that the level of service in shops and restaurants, the accessibility of medical care, and the quality and range of food products are much better in Russia than in Estonia.”
Neither the article nor its content is especially remarkable. What stood out instead was how quickly and widely this short piece of propaganda spread.
The original story was published at 9:22 a.m. on 6 August. Within the next two hours, 15 outlets had already republished texts that were approximately 80% identical in wording. Such speed and reach might suggest a major breaking story or scandal rather than a brief propaganda item.
Yet there is nothing new about either its content or tone. It is part of a recurring format designed to convince compatriots in Russia that life there is, after all, worth living.
In March, for example, RIA Novosti published a story about a mother of a large family who had moved from Finland to Vyborg and praised the standards of education and healthcare in her new homeland. That same month, Vzglyad published an article about a family with four children who had relocated from Germany and commended Russian values and mentality. In July, another story appeared featuring Yelizaveta, who had moved from Latvia to Pskov and praised the convenience of Russian marketplaces, the banking system and the cost of utilities.
