Prime Minister Kaja Kallas And Estonian Foreign Minister Are On The Russian Authority's Wanted List
JAKARTA - Russian police have included Estonian Prime Minister, Estonian Foreign Minister and Lithuanian Culture Minister on the wanted list, according to a database of the Russian Ministry of Home Affairs.
The list includes Estonian Kaja Kallas PM, Estonian Foreign Minister Taimar Peterkop and Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys, according to a ministry database.
Despite mentioning names, the database of the Ministry of Home Affairs did not specify which article they were charged with.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Kallas was wanted for "decoration of historical memory". Meanwhile, state news agency TASS said Baltic State officials were accused of "destroying the monument to the Soviet army".
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said: "This is just the beginning".
"Crimes against memories of Nazisme freeers and fascism in the world must be prosecuted," said Zakharova.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Kallas could not be reached for comment. A spokesman for Kairys from Lithuania was unable to confirm the order to Reuters.
Previously, Baltic countries that were once part of the Soviet Union had announced plans to destroy Soviet-era monuments.
PM Kallas himself said by 2022, Estonian authorities plan to dismantle 200 to 400 such monuments.
In response, the head of the Russian Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, ordered a criminal investigation into the matter.
SEE ALSO:
Baltic politicians are at risk of being detained only if they cross Russia's borders, otherwise, declaring them fugitives will not have real consequences. Estonian and Lithuanian authorities have not commented on this latest development.
It is known, in total Russia has included dozens of Baltic politicians from various levels on the wanted list, from city representatives to national lawmakers.
Previously, former Latvian Interior Minister Marija Golubeva was also included in the list, according to Russia's independent media Mediazone.