Russia has disapproved of the monument’s demolition and has threatened countermeasures, Latvian public radio reports.
A large monument to the Red Army was torn down in Riga, the capital of Latvia, on Thursday. The Soviet-era monument erected in honor of the victory over Nazi Germany was completed in 1985.
The dismantling of the monument located in Victory Park began at the beginning of this week with the removal of the military statues surrounding it. On Thursday, the central structure of the monument, the 79-meter obelisk, was knocked to the ground.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine influenced the decision to remove the monument from the cityscape. After the start of the war, the Latvian parliament decided to remove old Soviet monuments around the country. For example, the same line has been taken in Estonia.
A disputed monument
The Red Army monument has been a disputed landmark in Riga. For many Latvians, it has represented the beginning of the long Soviet occupation, as the Soviet Union occupied the Baltic countries in World War II.
Instead, many Latvian Russians have considered the monument an important symbol of victory over Nazi Germany during the Second World War and have opposed its demolition.
According to LSM, Russia had previously disapproved of the dismantling of the Red Army monument and had threatened unspecified countermeasures.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, demonstrations in support of Russia have been organized at the monument. A small group of protesters also gathered at the place on Thursday.
Four protesters who opposed the authorities’ instructions were arrested in connection with the toppling of the obelisk.
The mayor of Riga Mārtiņš Staķisin according to which a temporary recreation area can be established in place of the monument. The longer-term use of the area will be decided later.