Russian fake news is causing trouble in Latvia

In the historic heart of Riga, Latvia’s bustling capital, there’s a boulevard that doubles as a timeline of this proud country’s turbulent past. When Latvia was part of Tsarist Russia, it was called Alexander Street. In 1918, when Latvia won its independence, it was renamed Freedom Street. In 1940, when the Red Army invaded, its name was changed to Lenin Street. In 1941, when the Wehrmacht marched in, it became Adolf Hitler Street. When Latvia was swallowed up by the Soviet Union, it became Lenin Street once more, and in 1991, when Latvia regained its independence, it became Freedom Street again.

2018 marks the hundredth anniversary of Latvian independence. There are celebratory events all over Latvia throughout the year. But as the story of Freedom Street reveals, Latvia hasn’t had a hundred years of independence. It was independent from 1918 to 1940, and independent again since 1991, but for half a century between it was occupied by the USSR.

Even though the Soviet Union is no more, Latvians are still fearful of Russia’s territorial ambitions in this contested corner of the Baltic, and no wonder.