Russia has issued a wanted notice against Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas

Russia has launched a wanted notice against Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, according to a notice appearing on the Interior Ministry’s website Tuesday, in a fresh example of tensions with the Baltic states after the attack on the Kremlin in Ukraine. Kaja Kallas is being prosecuted in Russia “Criminal Case”, indicates this notice, which does not specify what offense or offenses the manager is accused of. The Estonian Secretary of State, Taimar Peterkop, was also targeted by the wanted poster, as was Lithuania’s Minister of Culture, Simonas Keris. A Russian security source, quoted anonymously by state news agency TASS, said two Estonian officials and a Lithuanian minister were being prosecuted. “Destruction and Degradation of Monuments (Tribute to Soviet Soldiers)”. of the Second World War.

The Kremlin on Tuesday accused him of hostility towards Russia because of his perception of the history of their relationship. “These people are responsible for decisions that are in fact an insult to history, they are the people who commit hostile actions against historical memory, against our country”Russian presidential spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said.

“The action of the Russian Federation is not surprising, as it is its usual tactic of intimidation”Kaja Kallas responded in a press release, pledging to continue supporting Ukraine and fighting against it. “Russian Propaganda”. “I will not remain silent, I will continue to strongly support Ukraine and I will speak in favor of strengthening European defense”she said.

Accused of “sabotaging” the Russian presidential election

In recent years, some of these monuments inherited from the USSR after World War II have been demolished in the Baltic countries, as a sign of rejection of the Soviet period, considering these states to have been occupied by the USSR. A Russian minority lives in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, three former Soviet republics now members of the EU and NATO that have strained relations with Moscow.

The Baltic states, which fear the Kremlin’s military ambitions, believe that the USSR has taken them over, while Moscow sees itself as the liberator and judges any other approach. “The Lie of History”, Crime in Russia. These relations have further deteriorated due to the conflict in Ukraine. The Baltic countries, which consider the threat of Russian aggression as real, actively support Kiev in the fight against the Russian military. Last week, Russia summoned the charge d’affaires of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, accusing them of “Sabotage” Russian presidential election in March by refusing to ensure the security of polling stations in Russian embassies on their soil.

In mid-January, Latvia and Estonia decided to terminate their legal assistance agreements with Russia, officials from these two countries cited Moscow’s attack on Ukraine as the reason. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Baltics in January. In January, Estonia also refused to extend the residence permit of the head of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, a Russian citizen, believing he represented a threat to national security.