Russia on Friday warned of taking "practical reactions" against
neighboring Estonia, after the Baltic state dismantled a Red Army
soldier's statue.
"The Russian side is planning a practical reaction against
Estonia over the pulling down of the Soldier Liberator monument,"
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said.
The Soviet-era war memorial, formerly situated in Tynismyagi
square in the Estonian capital Tallinn, was pulled down overnight.
Rioting by angered citizens overwhelmed Tallinn, Baltic News
Service reported on Friday.
One man died in hospital with 57 others injured in clashes with
police, while close to 60 protesters were detained.
The dead man was named by police as a 20-year-old named Dimitri,
who died from stab wounds.
The removal comes as part of a government-sanctioned plan to
exhume and relocate the remains of Soviet soldiers buried in
Estonia. However, it has been widely criticized by protestors as
disrespecting fallen World War II heroes.
Russia's upper house of parliament, the Federation Council,
urged for a cessation of diplomatic ties with Estonia on
Friday.
Estonia, taken aback at the weight of opposition, suspended
plans to relocated the bodies of Soviet soldiers.
"Government plans related to the fraternal grave and the
monument commemorating the fallen soldiers need to be revised," the
Interfax news agency quoted Estonian Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo
as saying.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made clear his dismay at the
violence on Friday. His spokesperson issued a statement which said
Ban "regretted the violence and the loss of life" in Tallinn, and
"appealed to all concerned to deal with the issues in a respectful
and conciliatory manner."
(Xinhua News Agency April 28, 2007)
