Facts

• The so-called Bronze Soldier Soviet monument was removed last week mainly for security reasons. Provocations were being carried out at the memorial site. It was unsuitable as a resting place for the war fallen.

• The monument has been relocated intact to a military cemetery in Tallinn. It is located in an appropriate and prominent place in the Garrison Cemetery.

• While all other countries have unequivocally condemned the rioting in Tallinn, Russia’s response has been indifferent. Russia has continued to associate the rioting with the commemoration of those who died in the Second World War.

• In the weeks leading up to start of works on Tõnismägi, Russian diplomats in Estonia actively met political fringe groups and organized their activities. Tõnismägi was clearly being used as a pretext for inciting conflict and hatred.

• The fact that during the unrest in Tallinn massive cyberattacks were made against Estonian state institutions’ websites cannot be viewed as an unlucky coincidence. It is likely that the strikes were carefully timed and executed in order to block Estonia’s official communication channels with the world.

• Estonia has always been open to dialogue with Russia, including on the issue of the war grave monument in Tõnismägi. Even though it was an internal matter, Estonia, several times, offered Russia the opportunity to resolve the issue together. Russia categorically refused all offers. For example, Russia recently rejected Estonia’s offer to have its expert or consul present at the exhumation. At the same time, the Russian Duma delegation currently in Estonia expressed, for some reason, an interest in visiting the grave site where digging is well underway.

• Estonia believes that both sides would profit from more dialogue. Regrettably, the Russian side continues to make serious and accusatory statements about Estonia. Prior to arriving in Tallinn, the Russian Duma delegation that was supposed to promote dialogue issued a pre-visit statement calling for the resignation of the Estonian government. The delegation expressed the opinion that the Soviet monument, removed last week, should be restored to its original site.

• The situation around the Estonian embassy in Moscow was deplorable. The Russian Foreign Minister confirmed that Russia would act in accordance with the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations. Yet Russian security forces were not controlling the situation around the embassy. Russian youth organisations were attacking the embassy building in a variety of ways. Embassy staff was effectively being held hostage inside the building.

• Since restoring its independence, Estonia has been the object of an extensive long-term Moscow-led misinformation campaign aimed at discrediting and destabilizing Estonia. Russia’s unconstructive policy towards Estonia has unfortunately impeded the development of pragmatic and good neighbourly bilateral relations.