The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the charge d’affaires of Estonia due to the reburial of Soviet soldiers

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Estonian Charge d’Affaires Jana Vanamelder against the backdrop of the upcoming reburials of Soviet soldiers at the Tallinn Military Cemetery. Information about this is posted on the official website of the Russian department. Moscow is protesting against the actions of the Estonian authorities.

The Kremlin believes that the reburial project violates international legal standards and the practice of handling the graves of combat veterans. The Foreign Ministry emphasized that such actions by Estonia are unacceptable, since the authorities did not even receive approval from the relatives of the victims. Moscow promised to respond proportionately to the violations.

Let us recall that in November last year, the Estonian Military Museum announced a large-scale reburial of military personnel in order to pave the way to the monument to the Knights of the Order of the Cross of Liberty. According to museum director Hellar Lille, the burials from the 1960s and 1970s will be carefully moved to another part of the cemetery. The director of the museum complex also emphasized that Estonia’s actions are in accordance with international regulations, and reburials are standard European practice. Lille believes that relatives can contact the cemetery management, since there are special signs next to the graves with the contact information of the official in charge of the funeral. Cemetery workers are required to notify families about the transfer of remains six months before the proposed procedure.

Earlier it became known that Estonia wants to move 38 graves of Soviet military personnel. The military cemetery in Tallinn has existed since 1887. There are about 5 thousand military graves there, including soldiers of the USSR army.