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Estonian Foreign Ministry wants to summon Russian envoy after WW2 interview

According to the Estonian minister, the statements on Soviet soldiers who liberated Estonia are untrue, but the Republic of Estonia was occupied and that Estonia views "two occupations negatively"
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu  EPA/DOMENIC AQUILINA
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu
© EPA/DOMENIC AQUILINA

TALLINN, September 19. /TASS/. The Estonian Foreign Ministry is intending to summon Russian Ambassador Alexander Petrov soon following his remarks made in an interview with TASS earlier this week, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said Thursday.

"There [in the interview with TASS] he underlined that Estonians revere the "feat" of Soviet soldiers who liberated Estonia and referenced circumstances that are undeniably not true," Estonia’s Postimees newspaper quoted him as saying. According to the minister, the Republic of Estonia was occupied and that Estonia views "two occupations negatively."

The minister also said that when the Red Army marched into Tallinn on September 22, 1944 "there were no German troops in the city then already, and it was mainly Estonian volunteers who arrived from Finland and put up the resistance."

Reinsalu also added that the Estonian Foreign Ministry was intending to summon the Russian envoy soon to highlight Estonia’s position on these issues to him.

Ambassador’s interview

On September 17, Russian Ambassador to Estonia Alexander Petrov said in an interview with TASS that Estonians remember and treasure the heroic feat of Soviet soldiers who liberated the republic from Nazi invaders 75 years ago.

The diplomat recalled that Estonia is holding a number of events dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the republic’s liberation from the Nazi invaders beginning with July 26 - the day when the city of Narva was liberated - in close cooperation with veteran organizations, search clubs and compatriot associations. A commemoration event was first held in Narva and then in Tartu. A number of such events are scheduled to take place later, particularly in Tallinn, Paldiski, Haapsalu and a number of other towns.

Petrov also called it symbolic that Moscow will celebrate the liberation of the Estonian capital with fireworks on September 22 as part of the "Memory of Victory" program.