Timo takes us on a journey through the tumultuous events of the 1991 Soviet coup attempt, as experienced from the streets of the Baltic States.

As the coup unfolds, Timo finds himself in Lithuania, planning to covertly visit the closed city of Kaliningrad. He shares the tension sharing a dining table with a Soviet officer, unknowingly on the eve of the coup.

As the coup escalates, Timo's narrative becomes a vivid street-level account of the Estonian people's defiance. He describes the formation of human walls against Soviet tanks, the strategic significance of the TV tower, and the Estonians' ingenious methods of maintaining communication despite Russian interference.

Timo's reflections on the morality of his curiosity, the fear of violence, and the spirit of resistance that pervaded Estonia during those critical hours are a testament to the resilience of a nation on the brink of reclaiming its freedom.

Timo’s book “Tanks & Roaches” is only currently available in Finnish, Estonian and Slovak and can be purchased on the links here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode334/



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00:00 Introduction

01:38 Timo’s summer in Estonia during the Cold War

09:52 The 1991 Soviet Coup and its impact on Estonia

20:34 Tom joins a demonstration

29:47 The confrontation between Estonian and Russian troops near the occupied TV tower

40:36 Estonians switched off the TV signal to calm down the Russians

41:57 The bravery of the four Estonian men who were locked inside the tv tower during the Soviet invasion

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