Why did Latvia become more Russified than Estonia and Lithuania during Soviet rule?

During the Soviet era, Latvia experienced a higher degree of Russification compared to Estonia and Lithuania due to specific political and demographic factors.

While all three Baltic states faced significant postwar immigration of non-indigenous populations—which altered ethnic compositions and placed immigrants in key administrative and military roles—Latvia’s experience was uniquely exacerbated by a failed attempt at political reform. During the period of liberalization known as the Thaw in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Latvian officials attempted to "nativize" the political and administrative elite to counter the influence of the immigrant-heavy Communist Party apparatus. This move backfired, triggering a purge of native Latvian elements in the ruling structure. The resulting leadership shift solidified the influence of immigrant officials, leading to a more pronounced Russification of the republic compared to its neighbors.1

In contrast, Lithuania remained less affected by such immigration because it was less urbanized and maintained a higher birth rate, which helped preserve a larger proportion of the native population.1