Russia labeled Estonian leader Kaja Kallas and many other European officials “wanted” on Tuesday for allegedly destroying Soviet-era military memorials.
The monuments, some of which memorialize the Red Army, have long been controversial in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, with many seeing them as emblems of their time under Soviet captivity.
The three Baltic states began removing and demolishing some of them in response to Russia’s full-fledged assault on Ukraine in 2022, causing alarm in Moscow.
Russia stated that it had added numerous persons to its wanted list in retaliation to the “destruction of monuments to Soviet soldiers”.
“Crimes against the memory of those who liberated the world from Nazism and fascism must be punished. Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, stated that this is only the beginning.
The Kremlin stated that individuals proclaimed sought had engaged in “hostile actions against historical memory” and Russia.
“These are the people who are responsible for decisions that are actually an abuse of historical memory,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said to reporters.
Taimar Peterkop, Estonian state secretary, and Karol Nawrocki, president of Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance, were among those who were included.
Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys, who was also included on the list, accused Russia of twisting facts.
“The regime continues to suppress freedom… and will continue to build its own story that contradicts facts or logic,” he told AFP.
‘Total Russophobia’
The decision exacerbates tensions between Russia and the Baltic states, all of which have joined the European Union and the Western-led NATO military alliance.
In January 2023, Russia downgraded diplomatic relations with Estonia and ordered the country’s ambassador to depart, accusing the Baltic country of “total Russophobia.”
All three Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — had already expelled Russian ambassadors due to the situation in Ukraine.
Their relations with Moscow have remained strained since they acquired independence during the collapse of the Soviet Union, which they have always seen as an occupying force.
While the hundreds of monuments created during the Soviet era had long been a source of contention in the three nations, Russia’s attack on Ukraine prompted a full-fledged campaign to remove them.
The crisis has also increased concerns about a potential armed clash with Russia, with all three Baltic republics increasing military spending and bolstering border defences.
The three countries have a sizable Russian minority, which has become a source of concern with Moscow.
Earlier in February, Moscow summoned diplomats from its three Baltic neighbors, accusing them of attempting to “sabotage” the Russian presidential election next month.
It accused the three states of failing to provide protection for voting stations at Russian embassies on their territory.