Russia puts Estonia PM, Baltic politicians on wanted list for destroying Soviet monuments

MOSCOW/VILNIUS: Russian police have put Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Lithuania’s culture minister and members of the previous Latvian parliament on a wanted list, according to the Russian Interior Ministry’s database.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Kallas was wanted for the “desecration of historical memory”.

Russian state agency TASS said the Baltic officials were accused of “destroying monuments to Soviet soldiers”, acts that are punishable by a 5-year prison term under the Russian criminal code.

“The Kremlin now hopes this move will help to silence me and others – but it won’t,” Kallas said in a post on social media platform X.

“I will continue my strong support to Ukraine. I will continue to stand for increasing Europe’s defence,” she said, adding Russia’s move was not a surprise.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago, the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have demolished most of their Soviet-era monuments, including those commemorating Soviet solders killed in World War Two.

In response, the head of the Russian Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, ordered a criminal investigation into the matter.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: “This is only the beginning.”

“Crimes against the memory of the world’s liberators from Nazism and fascism must be prosecuted,” she said.