**Russia puts Estonian prime minister, Kaja Kallas, on wanted list**
Lithuanian minister also among those accused of ‘destroying Soviet monuments’, as Tallinn fears Russian military buildup
Moscow has put the Estonian prime minister, Kaja Kallas, and other Baltic states officials on a wanted list, as Tallinn warns of an imminent Russian military buildup along its border.
The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said the Estonian state secretary, Taimar Peterkop; the Lithuanian culture minister, Simonas Kairys, and Kallas were accused of “destroying monuments to Soviet soldiers”, a reference to the removal of Soviet-era second world war memorials
“This is only the start,” Zakharova wrote on her telegram channel. “Crimes against the memory of the world’s liberators from nazism and fascism must be prosecuted.” The exact charges against the three have not been revealed by Russian authorities.
Moscow has placed multiple senior Kyiv officials and generals on its wanted list since the start of the Ukraine war, but Kallas is the first known government head to be sought by Moscow.
The Estonian prime minister has been one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine, leading efforts to increase military assistance to Kyiv and tighten sanctions against Russia.
Moscow’s decision to add Kallas to its wanted list will further increase tension in the region at a time when many western capitals have sounded the alarm over a growing military threat from Russia.
When asked on Tuesday by reporters about Kallas, Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said that the Estonian leader “took hostile acts against our country and historical memory”.
The removal of Soviet-era monuments has been a delicate issue in Estonia, a former Soviet republic from 1944 until 1991 where nearly a quarter of the population of 1.3 million people are ethnic Russians.
The process has accelerated since Russian troops invaded Ukraine, with Kallas pledging to remove all communist monuments in public spaces. “We have decided … Soviet monuments must be removed from public spaces and we will do it as quickly as possible,” Kallas said in the summer of 2022 when officials removed a Soviet tank memorial from Narva, a largely Russian-speaking city close to the Russian border.
Estonia has been anxious to avoid some of the unrest it faced in 2007 after it removed a statue in Tallinn known as the Bronze Soldier, which led to two nights of rioting and looting, followed by a major cyber-attack that Estonian officials pinned on Russia.
The country has also moved to counter pro-Russian narratives about the war in Ukraine by banning from cable television four Russian television channels, a major source of news for many older ethnic Russians.
Tensions remain high and on Tuesday, Estonia’s foreign intelligence service warned Russia intended to double the number of its troops stationed along its border with the Baltic states and Finland as part of preparations for a potential military conflict with Nato within the next 10 years.
Kaupo Rosin, the director general of the Estonian service, told reporters ahead of his agency publishing its annual report: “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.
“We will highly likely see an increase of manpower, about doubling perhaps. We will see an increase in armed personnel carriers, tanks, artillery systems over the coming years.”
Rosin said that a military attack by Russia was “highly unlikely” in the short term, partly because Russia had to keep troops in Ukraine, but Rosin called on Europe to get prepared by rearming.
“If we are not prepared, the likelihood [of a military Russian attack] would be much higher than without any preparation,” Rosin added.
In an interview with the conservative journalist Tucker Carlson last week, Putin dismissed western warnings, saying that his country has “no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else”.
**In total, Russia has put several dozen Baltic politicians of various levels on the wanted list, including the former Latvian interior minister Marija Golubeva.** Latvia has similarly announced plans to remove its Soviet memorials from public spaces, and drew Moscow’s ire last year when it demolished a nearly 260ft-tall obelisk, erected during the Soviet rule of Latvia.
All three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – had already expelled Russian diplomats from their countries amid tensions over the conflict in Ukraine. Relations with Moscow have remained tense since they gained independence during the collapse of the Soviet Union, which have viewed as an occupying power.
This Russian government acts like the baddies in a Tom Clancy novel
[removed]
Them being like
> we may have a president with an arrest warrant issued by an international court on the reasonable suspicion that he’s conducting genocidal actions in a neighboring nation. But see, other countries are *totatly* the same. Their heads of state are wanted by us, because – *checks notes* – they tore down monuments of a former occupying state. And those charges are *entirely* legit and *definitely* not made-up charges, trust us. but we’re not naming those charges.
Sometimes russia is so pathetic that it’s funny.
I hope Interpol and other police organisations stop cooperating with Russia completely. Since it is impossible to respond to their stupid requests.
Russia is a meme country at this point, even Iran is more serious despite being ruled by religious fanatics
Now do me, do me!
Nice to be wanted
I’m honestly kind of disgusted by the whole push towards removal of all these “monuments” NOW. They should all have been demolished way back in 1991, not as some sort of symbolic protest against Russia being Russia. What in the hell were these celebrations of soviet oppression doing staying up for 32 years? Whatever, better late than never.
The Ukrainians are adding Tucker Carlson to the list of Myrotvorets, which is not a government official site.
The whole world: horror, journalists are being insulted.
Russia puts the prime minister of another country on the wanted list.
The whole world: okay.
Estonia is badass
Can’t they throw those monuments over the border?
And many other people from Baltic area.
Can’t make this shit up.
Russia, it’s time to revolt and kill the dictator.
wait, so this woman, in her own country, put down something that reflected the regime and abuse of the past, and someone in another country got offended and even more, point blank put a threat towards her?!
What is this, internationally karen-ining ?
No Poles on the list? 🙁 I feel a little bit abandoned to be honest.
It’s ok though apparently. Putin says if we give him a bit more of Ukraine he’ll go away forever…
He definitely does not have designs on the Baltic states. He’ll give you a 90 minute PowerPoint on how they’re all Russia though if you ask
Curious on who else on that list
oh, common, Russians blame Immanuel Kant for the war with Ukraine. Kaja Kallas’ accusation is just meh
Look, Estonia is a member of the European Union and NATO.
Are you fecking sure you want to mess around.
At this point, aren’t we *all* on the list? I’ve been talking smack to Kremlin stooges since Feb 2022 and amplifying Ukrainian material whenever I see it, correcting disinformation, etc. etc. Half of Europe’s been doing the same.
Guess none of us are invited to Putin’s birthday party.
🤡
Can’t blame them, really. She’s on my wanted list as well. 🥰
She is ‘wanted’ by every European man. Vlad is exaggerating once again.
I understand that former Soviet monuments are controversial and offensive to many people. But, I would personally prefer to keep that as they’re part of the cultural heritage. At least move significant monuments to museums rather than destroy them.
What does this mean? (serious answers pls)
Badge of honor.
I think the NATO exercises near the boarder should accidently SLIP inside Ukraine
Zakarova? Wasn’t she first going to nuke Siberia? Maybe do that first before getting sidetracked with a wanted list.
Such nonsense. What they’re doing. They should put out an A.P.B.
I’m not too bothered by this. The UK and France will nuke Russia even if the US turns traitor and votes for Trump.
after trump said russia can do whatever the hell it wants
She’s awesome. It makes sense they want her.
Russia is a flaccid old man, not a fucking bear.
You’ve done something right when you’re on Russia’s wanted list.
Just another warning to anyone who thinks that Russia will calm down and come to an agreement with Europe. Russia will escalate as long as they have the resources to continue, and they have plenty of them.
Also another sign that they don’t really consider Baltic countries independent, but just rogue states waiting to be annexed. You can’t imagine them treating German or French politicians the same way. For them, everyone east of the German border are their rightful subjects.
You are not a true Democrat if you not a persona non grata / wanted in the Russian federation ..
Proud estonian here 🙂
Ship the monuments to Russia, then they can decide what to do with them.
And nobody would’ve known about this if not for journalists investigating an Internal Ministry database. It’s kinda odd how these criminal cases were opened quietly and these people just added onto lists. Like it makes sense as far as bureaucratic procedure is concerned, but usually the state would make a fuss about famous people being put on a wanted list
This is not funny in the slightest. Not only is the timing in sync with Trump’s comments sowing doubt about a NATO article 5 response or the lack of it.More importantly: Anyone who has been paying attention knows that this kind of talk from Russia is nothing new, they have been acting butthurt about those monuments for the past 30 years or so, however it used to be regarded as some regional bickering only. But now is different, now this is making news around the world, and one can rest assured that all the Putinist shills and tankies will gobble it up wholeheartedly.As was the case with the “Nazis in Ukraine” story.
Yeah, it could just be the usual propagandistic sabre-rattling. But you never know.
Edit: Oh, and the “Russia must not be humiliated” train of thought seems to have gained quite a lot of popularity in Europe today. Well, I agree that a curbstomped Russia wouldn’t be in anyones best interest. Why must we play their fucking games all the time though?
44 comments
**Russia puts Estonian prime minister, Kaja Kallas, on wanted list**
Lithuanian minister also among those accused of ‘destroying Soviet monuments’, as Tallinn fears Russian military buildup
Moscow has put the Estonian prime minister, Kaja Kallas, and other Baltic states officials on a wanted list, as Tallinn warns of an imminent Russian military buildup along its border.
The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said the Estonian state secretary, Taimar Peterkop; the Lithuanian culture minister, Simonas Kairys, and Kallas were accused of “destroying monuments to Soviet soldiers”, a reference to the removal of Soviet-era second world war memorials
“This is only the start,” Zakharova wrote on her telegram channel. “Crimes against the memory of the world’s liberators from nazism and fascism must be prosecuted.” The exact charges against the three have not been revealed by Russian authorities.
Moscow has placed multiple senior Kyiv officials and generals on its wanted list since the start of the Ukraine war, but Kallas is the first known government head to be sought by Moscow.
The Estonian prime minister has been one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine, leading efforts to increase military assistance to Kyiv and tighten sanctions against Russia.
Moscow’s decision to add Kallas to its wanted list will further increase tension in the region at a time when many western capitals have sounded the alarm over a growing military threat from Russia.
When asked on Tuesday by reporters about Kallas, Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said that the Estonian leader “took hostile acts against our country and historical memory”.
The removal of Soviet-era monuments has been a delicate issue in Estonia, a former Soviet republic from 1944 until 1991 where nearly a quarter of the population of 1.3 million people are ethnic Russians.
The process has accelerated since Russian troops invaded Ukraine, with Kallas pledging to remove all communist monuments in public spaces. “We have decided … Soviet monuments must be removed from public spaces and we will do it as quickly as possible,” Kallas said in the summer of 2022 when officials removed a Soviet tank memorial from Narva, a largely Russian-speaking city close to the Russian border.
Estonia has been anxious to avoid some of the unrest it faced in 2007 after it removed a statue in Tallinn known as the Bronze Soldier, which led to two nights of rioting and looting, followed by a major cyber-attack that Estonian officials pinned on Russia.
The country has also moved to counter pro-Russian narratives about the war in Ukraine by banning from cable television four Russian television channels, a major source of news for many older ethnic Russians.
Tensions remain high and on Tuesday, Estonia’s foreign intelligence service warned Russia intended to double the number of its troops stationed along its border with the Baltic states and Finland as part of preparations for a potential military conflict with Nato within the next 10 years.
Kaupo Rosin, the director general of the Estonian service, told reporters ahead of his agency publishing its annual report: “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.
“We will highly likely see an increase of manpower, about doubling perhaps. We will see an increase in armed personnel carriers, tanks, artillery systems over the coming years.”
Rosin said that a military attack by Russia was “highly unlikely” in the short term, partly because Russia had to keep troops in Ukraine, but Rosin called on Europe to get prepared by rearming.
“If we are not prepared, the likelihood [of a military Russian attack] would be much higher than without any preparation,” Rosin added.
In an interview with the conservative journalist Tucker Carlson last week, Putin dismissed western warnings, saying that his country has “no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else”.
**In total, Russia has put several dozen Baltic politicians of various levels on the wanted list, including the former Latvian interior minister Marija Golubeva.** Latvia has similarly announced plans to remove its Soviet memorials from public spaces, and drew Moscow’s ire last year when it demolished a nearly 260ft-tall obelisk, erected during the Soviet rule of Latvia.
All three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – had already expelled Russian diplomats from their countries amid tensions over the conflict in Ukraine. Relations with Moscow have remained tense since they gained independence during the collapse of the Soviet Union, which have viewed as an occupying power.
[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/russia-puts-estonian-prime-minister-kaja-kallas-on-wanted-list](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/russia-puts-estonian-prime-minister-kaja-kallas-on-wanted-list)
I wonder how are they going to arrest her?
It’s a great honor to be on that list!
This Russian government acts like the baddies in a Tom Clancy novel
[removed]
Them being like
> we may have a president with an arrest warrant issued by an international court on the reasonable suspicion that he’s conducting genocidal actions in a neighboring nation. But see, other countries are *totatly* the same. Their heads of state are wanted by us, because – *checks notes* – they tore down monuments of a former occupying state. And those charges are *entirely* legit and *definitely* not made-up charges, trust us. but we’re not naming those charges.
Sometimes russia is so pathetic that it’s funny.
I hope Interpol and other police organisations stop cooperating with Russia completely. Since it is impossible to respond to their stupid requests.
Russia is a meme country at this point, even Iran is more serious despite being ruled by religious fanatics
Now do me, do me!
Nice to be wanted
I’m honestly kind of disgusted by the whole push towards removal of all these “monuments” NOW. They should all have been demolished way back in 1991, not as some sort of symbolic protest against Russia being Russia. What in the hell were these celebrations of soviet oppression doing staying up for 32 years? Whatever, better late than never.
The Ukrainians are adding Tucker Carlson to the list of Myrotvorets, which is not a government official site.
The whole world: horror, journalists are being insulted.
Russia puts the prime minister of another country on the wanted list.
The whole world: okay.
Estonia is badass
Can’t they throw those monuments over the border?
And many other people from Baltic area.
Can’t make this shit up.
Russia, it’s time to revolt and kill the dictator.
wait, so this woman, in her own country, put down something that reflected the regime and abuse of the past, and someone in another country got offended and even more, point blank put a threat towards her?!
What is this, internationally karen-ining ?
No Poles on the list? 🙁 I feel a little bit abandoned to be honest.
It’s ok though apparently. Putin says if we give him a bit more of Ukraine he’ll go away forever…
He definitely does not have designs on the Baltic states. He’ll give you a 90 minute PowerPoint on how they’re all Russia though if you ask
Curious on who else on that list
oh, common, Russians blame Immanuel Kant for the war with Ukraine. Kaja Kallas’ accusation is just meh
Look, Estonia is a member of the European Union and NATO.
Are you fecking sure you want to mess around.
At this point, aren’t we *all* on the list? I’ve been talking smack to Kremlin stooges since Feb 2022 and amplifying Ukrainian material whenever I see it, correcting disinformation, etc. etc. Half of Europe’s been doing the same.
Guess none of us are invited to Putin’s birthday party.
🤡
Can’t blame them, really. She’s on my wanted list as well. 🥰
She is ‘wanted’ by every European man. Vlad is exaggerating once again.
I understand that former Soviet monuments are controversial and offensive to many people. But, I would personally prefer to keep that as they’re part of the cultural heritage. At least move significant monuments to museums rather than destroy them.
What does this mean? (serious answers pls)
Badge of honor.
I think the NATO exercises near the boarder should accidently SLIP inside Ukraine
Zakarova? Wasn’t she first going to nuke Siberia? Maybe do that first before getting sidetracked with a wanted list.
Such nonsense. What they’re doing. They should put out an A.P.B.
I’m not too bothered by this. The UK and France will nuke Russia even if the US turns traitor and votes for Trump.
after trump said russia can do whatever the hell it wants
She’s awesome. It makes sense they want her.
Russia is a flaccid old man, not a fucking bear.
You’ve done something right when you’re on Russia’s wanted list.
Just another warning to anyone who thinks that Russia will calm down and come to an agreement with Europe. Russia will escalate as long as they have the resources to continue, and they have plenty of them.
Also another sign that they don’t really consider Baltic countries independent, but just rogue states waiting to be annexed. You can’t imagine them treating German or French politicians the same way. For them, everyone east of the German border are their rightful subjects.
You are not a true Democrat if you not a persona non grata / wanted in the Russian federation ..
Proud estonian here 🙂
Ship the monuments to Russia, then they can decide what to do with them.
And nobody would’ve known about this if not for journalists investigating an Internal Ministry database. It’s kinda odd how these criminal cases were opened quietly and these people just added onto lists. Like it makes sense as far as bureaucratic procedure is concerned, but usually the state would make a fuss about famous people being put on a wanted list
This is not funny in the slightest. Not only is the timing in sync with Trump’s comments sowing doubt about a NATO article 5 response or the lack of it.More importantly: Anyone who has been paying attention knows that this kind of talk from Russia is nothing new, they have been acting butthurt about those monuments for the past 30 years or so, however it used to be regarded as some regional bickering only. But now is different, now this is making news around the world, and one can rest assured that all the Putinist shills and tankies will gobble it up wholeheartedly.As was the case with the “Nazis in Ukraine” story.
Yeah, it could just be the usual propagandistic sabre-rattling. But you never know.
Edit: Oh, and the “Russia must not be humiliated” train of thought seems to have gained quite a lot of popularity in Europe today. Well, I agree that a curbstomped Russia wouldn’t be in anyones best interest. Why must we play their fucking games all the time though?
Good job Kaja.