It was in January during the anniversary of the siege of Leningrad that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, linked the Baltic countries with Nazism.
– In the Baltic countries, tens of thousands of people have been called subhuman and deprived of their most basic rights and are being persecuted, he said at the time.
The war in Ukraine
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ISW: Could pave the way for future Russian aggression
The Washington-based think tank ISW has already warned because the Kremlin’s rhetoric against the Baltics can pave the way for future Russian aggression.
In the run-up to the upcoming EU elections, it is security and defence most important question for all countries in the Baltics.
Estonia is the Baltic country that shares the longest border with Russia – 294 kilometers. It is also the only country in the world whose prime minister, Kaja Kallas, is wanted by the Kremlin.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the reason is that she “desecrated historical memories.”
According to the Russian state-controlled news agency Tass, it is more specifically about her government removing Soviet monuments from public places.
Called: Important for Ukraine to win the war
SVT Nyheter has spoken to the prime minister who says that the arrest warrant is based on Russian laws and thus a way to undermine Estonia’s sovereignty.
– Russia wants to signal that they do not recognize Estonia as an independent country, she says.
Do you fear a Russian attack on Estonia?
– If Ukraine wins the war, we don’t need to talk about who will be next. Therefore, we must do our utmost to ensure that they do not lose, says Kaja Kallas.
Watch the clip: Over 1,500 Estonian women have joined the defense organization since the Russian invasion: “Don’t want to be the one who needs to be rescued.”