Moscow, Russia

Russia has placed Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Lithuania’s culture minister and other officials from Baltic nations on its “wanted” list on Tuesday (Feb 13) for their alleged involvement in the destruction of Soviet-era monuments. 

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‘Only the beginning’

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Estonian PM is wanted for “desecration of historical memory”. 

The monuments, in question, some of which commemorate the Red Army, have long been controversial in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as they are seen as a symbol of a time when they were under Soviet occupation.

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Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago, the three Baltic nations Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have demolished most of their Soviet-era monuments. 

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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the recent move “only the beginning,” adding that  “Crimes against the memory of the world’s liberators from Nazism and fascism must be prosecuted.” 

The Kremlin has said those placed on the “wanted” list by the Russian police had taken “hostile actions against historical memory” and Russia.

In addition to the Estonian PM, Estonia’s State Secretary Taimar Peterkop, and Karol Nawrocki, the head of Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance, were also added to the “wanted” list, according to the Russian media.  

A report by Reuters, citing the Russian interior ministry’s database, said the list also includes 60 of the 100 members of the previous Latvian parliament, including former Interior Minister Marija Golubeva. The previous parliament’s term ended in November 2022.

Meanwhile, Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys who was also included in the list has since slammed Russia accusing it of distorting facts. 

“The regime is doing what it has always done: it is trying to stifle freedom...and to continue to create its own version that is at odds with facts or logic,” he told AFP.

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The relations between the three countries and Russia have significantly deteriorated since the Russian invasion, not to mention the three Baltic nations are members of the European Union and NATO who have shown their staunch support for Ukraine since the beginning of the war.  

‘Scare tactics’

In response to Moscow’s move, Kallas on Tuesday slammed Russian “scare tactics” and called it unsurprising. “The Russian Federation's move isn't surprising because this is their usual scare tactics,” said the Estonian PM in a statement. 

She also vowed to further support war-torn Ukraine and fight “Russian propaganda”. 

Will the Estonian PM, Baltic politicians be arrested?

In addition to the “wanted” list, the head of the Russian Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin has since ordered a criminal investigation into the matter. However, the Russian interior ministry database did not specify under which article of the criminal code the wanted are prosecuted.

The dozens of Baltic officials, including mayors, and municipal deputies who are included in the “wanted” list, according to Russian state news agency TASS have been accused of “destroying monuments to Soviet soldiers,” which is punishable by a five-year prison term under the Russian criminal code.

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However, the Baltic politicians and the Estonian PM would not be arrested unless they enter Russian territory.

The Soviet-era monuments which were destroyed also included those commemorating Soviet soldiers killed in World War II. The Baltic states were annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, then occupied by Nazi Germany before returning to Russian rule as part of the Soviet Communist bloc until its collapse in 1991. 

Estonia’s warning for the West 

On Tuesday, the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service in its national security threats report, warned that Russia is preparing for a military confrontation with the West within the next decade. 

“Russia has chosen a path which is a long-term confrontation...and the Kremlin is probably anticipating a possible conflict with NATO within the next decade or so,” Kaupo Rosin told reporters. 

“If we are not prepared, the likelihood (of a military Russian attack) would be much higher than without any preparation,” Rosin added.

However, the report also noted that a military attack by Russia in the short term is “highly unlikely” given that Moscow has to keep troops in Ukraine, but it plans to double the number of forces stationed along its border with NATO members Finland and the three Baltic nations. 

(With inputs from agencies)