In September 2021, long-time Russia expert Christof Franzen traveled along the Russian-Baltic border. At that time, there was still a sense of optimism in the Baltics. In July 2022, a completely different picture emerges. Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is reopening old divides. _____________________________________________ ???? Subscribe to SRF Dok now on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/srfdok?sub_co... ???? Would you like to suggest a topic to us? Then write to us: [email protected] _____________________________________________ Along the border between Russia and the Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, he wanted to find out how people on both sides of the border are doing, thirty years after the end of the Soviet Union. His conclusion at the time: Although Russia has been acting more aggressively towards its direct neighbors to the west for years, the Baltic states feel safe because they are, after all, in NATO and happy to be in the EU, they said. And most of the protagonists on the Russian side did not feel threatened by their neighbors either, although there was a certain sadness here and there that they would no longer live together in the same, large empire. None of the protagonists believed at the time that Russia would attack Ukraine. They were all proven wrong. A good four months after the start of the war, in July 2022, Christof Franzen traveled to the Baltics again and also contacted the people on the Russian side. These were touching but also oppressive encounters. _____________________________________________ ▪ A film by Roger Brunner, Christof Franzen ▪ Camera: Evgeny Kurbatov ▪ Editing: Dave D. Leins ▪ Editors: Roger Brunner 3 sat, Michèle Sauvain SRF ▪ Director: Rajan Autze 3sat, Nathalie Rufer SRF _____________________________________________ This is «DOK»: Our in-depth documentaries on topics from society, nature, politics, sport and business. They are stories as unique as life. NEW DOCUMENTARIES AND REPORTS EVERY WEEK _____________________________________________ ???? Subscribe to SRF Dok on YouTube now and activate the bell: https://www.youtube.com/srfdok?sub_co... ???? You can find out more about documentaries & reports here: ???? SRF Dok on Facebook: https://fb.com/srfdok ???? More stories to listen to: https://www.srf.ch/audio/themen/mensc... ???? More documentaries on Play SRF: https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/themen/dokus _____________________________________________ Channel info: The SRF Dok teams report factually, avoid "scripted reality" and are committed to journalistic integrity. The editorial team's credo: We show life in all its shades. _____________________________________________ Social Media Netiquette from SRF: ► https://www.srf.ch/social-netiquette #SRFDok #Doku #Russia #Baltic States #Dok #SRF