The Russian invasion of Ukraine has complicated Latvia’s relationship with its own ethnic Russian population, who account for a quarter of the country’s 2 million citizens. Most came during the Soviet period and lived alongside yet apart from Latvians, sending their kids to Russian-language schools and eschewing Latvian themselves. They’ve been assimilating over time but with Latvian public opinion turning sharply against Russia, many Russian Latvians sense that they’re being marginalized. Gerry Hadden reports from Latvia on the divisions in the community, and how the war in Ukraine has raised fresh questions about Russian identity in Latvia.
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