Russia Summons Estonia’s Charge d’Affaires Over Vandalism at Tallinn Military Cemetery
Russia summoned Estonia’s Charge d’Affaires, Juri Vanamelder, on Wednesday to protest the vandalism at the Tallinn Military Cemetery. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation over the desecration of Soviet war memorials, expressing outrage at the ongoing situation. Despite a meeting in March to address the defilement of Soviet tombstones, the ministry stated that Estonia had failed to take corrective measures, allowing the situation to deteriorate further.
The Russian government rejected Tallinn’s explanations for the destruction of the memorials, criticizing the use of heavy machinery to dismantle the memorial slabs, under the claim that no remains were buried beneath them. Russia labeled the actions as a deliberate insult to the memory of Red Army soldiers who fought Nazi forces during World War II. The ministry also emphasized the egregiousness of these actions, especially in the year marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.
Russia vowed to continue exposing what it called “criminal efforts” to erase Soviet heritage, pledging to raise the issue on international platforms, including the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
