CNN —Russian authorities on Tuesday launched criminal proceedings against Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, charges the leader of the Baltic state alleged were politically motivated.
The Kremlin accused Kallas, Estonian Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop and Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys of destroying or damaging monuments to Soviet monuments in memory of Soviet soldiers, Russia’s state-run Tass news reported.
Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago, Kallas announced that Estonia would remove all of the country’s Soviet monuments from public spaces.
A report by the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service said Russia may consider doubling the number of troops stationed on its border with the Baltic countries and increasing those on its frontier with Finland, which joined NATO last year.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also on Tuesday delivered his annual foreign policy speech, which included fiery anti-Russian remarks and a full-throated backing for Ukraine.
Persons:
Kaja Kallas, Kallas, Peterkop, Simonas, Dmitry Peskov, ” Kallas, ”, Vladimir Putin, Margus Tsahkna, Joshua Berlinger
Organizations:
CNN, Estonian, Kremlin, State, Lithuanian Culture, Russia, Soviet Union, European Union, NATO, Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service, Ukraine
Locations:
Baltic, Estonian, Ukraine, Estonia, Russia, Siberia, Soviet, Finland, “