Russian Bronze Statue in Estonia

[Stan]

"The European Parliament on Thursday passed a resolution expressing support to the Estonian government and firm solidarity with Estonia in its row with Russia."

The deputies said they regard as unacceptable Russian authorities' attempts to interfere into Estonia's internal affairs and appealed to Russia to observe the Vienna Convention without any exceptions. The deputies condemned Russian authorities' unpolished and openly hostile language and attempts to use economic pressure on Estonia as a foreign policy instrument.

The deputies said they were disturbed by the inadequate protection of the Estonian embassy in Moscow by the Russian authorities and physical attacks by Nashi demonstrators against the Estonian ambassador.

The resolution states that the Russian authorities' hostile language with respect to Estonia is in sharp contrast with the principles of international conduct and affects EU-Russian relations as a whole.

The members of parliament appealed to the Russian government to hold an open an unprejudiced dialog with Central and East European countries on the history of the 20th century and crimes against humanity, including crimes against humanity committed by totalitarian Communism.

The resolution garnered 460 votes in favor and 31 against, with 38 abstentions, the press service of the European parliament told BNS.

Much more at the link

[Tc2642]

Thanks for replying Stan, I do seem to recall a paper that I read some years ago about a possible Sino-Russian/Iranian axis developing against the new European/NATO members who were previously Warsaw Pact countries, Ill rummage about and try to find it.

Column from last Economist "Cyberwarfare update."



http://edwardlucas.blogspot.com/2007...re-update.html

In addition, may I ask any of the other members of this board, but is this the first time such a massive cyber attack has been launched by a nation state against another state or are their other examples of this ilk?

Regards

TC2642

[Stan]

Thanks for replying Stan, I do seem to recall a paper that I read some years ago about a possible Sino-Russian/Iranian axis developing against the new European/NATO members who were previously Warsaw Pact countries, Ill rummage about and try to find it.



In addition, may I ask any of the other members of this board, but is this the first time such a massive cyber attack has been launched by a nation state against another state or are their other examples of this ilk?

Regards

TC2642

TC, I'm no historian, but recall reading about "The long good bye" between Russia and Iraq. Nowadays a quick deal or two for nuclear fuel with Iran ?

Just a week ago most Estonian's were laughing at the deal gone sour "Russia nuclear delay angers Iran". Even Iran can't conclude a deal with Putin

Russian state-owned firm Atomstroiexport announced on Monday that a shipment of nuclear fuel would not be delivered as scheduled in March because of delays in payment by Iran.

The company also said the launch of the reactor, due in September, would be put back two months to November because of the dispute over financing.

The NATO dudes that were here told the MOI they had never seen an attack of this magnitud before. Was this the largest ? The Guardian's sources think so !

A three-week wave of massive cyber-attacks on the small Baltic country of Estonia, the first known incidence of such an assault on a state, is causing alarm across the western alliance, with Nato urgently examining the offensive and its implications.

[Stan]

SWJED, Thanks for the post !
Seems all the US newspapers are jumping on the bandwagon. We even made the 'Drudge Report' (not that I consider that a compliment, and it only links to the International Herald Tribune).

TALLINN, May 28 (RIA Novosti)

The Estonian Citizenship and Migration Department has imposed a permanent ban on 398 visitors, and a temporary ban on 1,615 potential comers, a department spokesperson said Monday.

Anne-Maarja Olei said the ban mostly covered Russians, Ukrainians and Armenians, some of whom could pose a threat to Estonian sovereignty. Foreigners who have been arrested by the police over public order violations were also put on the black list.

The Estonian Citizenship and Migration Department said 11 people, including three Russians, were extradited from Estonia in April.

Relations between Estonia and Russia have been marred since the scandal around the removal of a Soviet-era memorial from central Tallinn shortly before VE Day celebrations. The removal sparked violent protests from the ex-Soviet republic's ethnic Russian minority. One person was killed and several dozen injured in clashes with police April 27. Moscow issued strong protests, with some parliamentarians calling for cutting diplomatic ties with Tallinn.

[Stan]

According to recent AP wire reports, subsequent to Konstantin Goloskokov's claim that he was behind one of the cyber attacks against Estonia's internet last month, the European Union and U.S. has banned the Nashi youth movement leader from entering their territories.

Goloskokov thought there would be no legal repercussions from his actions because Transnistri would would not prosecute him.

Well, think again

[Stan]

Resolution expresses support for Estonia amid tension with Moscow

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution supporting Estonia amid tension with Russia since the removal in April of a monument commemorating a Red Army victory in World War II.

The resolution, which passed 412-0, expressed solidarity with Estonia and condemned violence in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, and Moscow.

Speaking on the House floor ahead of the vote, Democratic Rep. Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs committee, was more blunt.

"Today, we in Congress join our friends in Europe in expressing our strong disapproval of the unjustified and unacceptable Russian attacks against Estonia," he said.

[Stan]

Today construction of the lime stone wall started at the Garrison cemetery in Tallinn. The lime stone wall will be situated behind the bronze monument that was placed to the cemetery on April, 30.

The constructed wall will be adjusted to the Garrison cemetery in the best possible way, taking into account the surrounding environment, the lime stone masonry surrounding the site of the area and the high furbishing. The War Graves Committee reached the decision at their meeting on May, 18.

The digging of a trench at the grave site, accompanied by the casting of a reinforced concrete slab foundation and the construction of a concrete block structure on armour netting, covered with axed slab, is required for the building of the grave marker. As requested by construction experts, the bronze monument will be fitted onto a specially prepared temporary foundation, located on the adjacent ground.

As the foundation will be built on fine sand, geologists will take soil samples before the commencement of works to determine which layers of soil will remain under the foundation of the wall and the depth of the load-bearing layer of soil.

The trench will be cut down to the load-bearing layer of soil; excessive soil from the trench will be removed. All the safety requirements will be observed at the site.

The site where the technical equipment is in use will be enclosed by a 2 m high mesh fence, extending to 300 metres, for the period of construction works.

The work is due for completion in the second half of June.

[Stan]

The United States told Russia Thursday not to threaten the former Soviet Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with attacks and sanctions but to discuss differences in a "civilized" way.

During a Reception Marking the 85th Anniversary of U.S.-Baltic State Relations

Although Russia denies it slapped sanctions after an April row over a Soviet war memorial, trade between the two neighbors fell sharply and the small Baltic state felt the pinch.

Moscow has generally been unhappy with its democratic neighbors Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania after they joined NATO in 2004.

"Their democratic ideals and their democratic success is not a threat to anyone least of all their great neighbor Russia," said Fried, who is in charge of European and Eurasian affairs in the State Department.

"The Russians sometimes say that we are trying to surround them, encircle them but is it not in the best interest of Russia to be, quote, surrounded by peaceful, prospering democracies."

"Doesn't Russian history suggest that threats from the West do not come from democracies but dictatorships and nationalistic dictatorships?" Fried asked.

[Stan]

PRO-KREMLIN YOUTH UNDER INVESTIGATION

Russia's prosecutor general's office has launched an investigation into the activities of the pro-Kremlin youth organizations Nashi and Young Guard after complaints that the groups' recent protests promoted extremism and interethnic discord. A leader from the liberal Yabloko party's youth wing appealed to the prosecutor's office, claiming that a prolonged anti-Estonian campaign by the youth groups violated Russia's extremism law. The two groups "practically laid siege" to Estonia's embassy in Moscow and attempted to seal off the countries' shared border following the relocation of a World War II-era Soviet monument in Tallinn, the Estonian capital, the newspaper wrote.

[Stan]

"TALLINN – A pro-Russian pressure group says it intends to identify and “punish” police officers on duty during the recent Bronze Soldier disturbances."

Members of the Night Vigil, a group consisting mainly of Russian-speaking young people set up to defend the Soviet-era war memorial in Tallinn, say they are trying to obtain a computer program that could single out police officers in video footage of the riots.

Night Vigil member Yuri Zhuravlyov told the Russian-language daily MK Estonia: "Our aim is to help restore justice. We want the culprits to be punished."

Zhuravlyov himself was one of the protestors detained on the night of April 27 and claims that he witnessd police brutality.

The activist did not rule out the possibility of turning to Russia’s law enforcement bodies for technical assistance.

However, an unnamed source told the Postimees daily that Night Vigil's real aim goes far beyond collecting credible evidence and starting legal action against police officers.

“Night Vigil can't live with the knowledge that many Russian-speaking officers stood in the ranks of the police,” said the source, who further suggested the organization's plan is to identify ethnically Russian police and then post their names and pictures on the Internet.

Security police superintendent Irina Mikson said the security police is aware of the Night Vigil plans. She added that Night Vigil, together with the Human Rights Information Center that is collecting complaints about police violence during the April disturbances, are working in Russia’s interests.

According to the security police yearbook for 2004, the Tallinn-based HRIC is indirectly guided by the Russian embassy and financed by Russia.

[Stan]

The storm of protest a few weeks ago seemed a long time ago at this somber ceremony.

Eight coffins containing the remains of Soviet soldiers exhumed at the former Bronze Soldier's memorial (now referred to as the bronze grave marker) have been reburied at the Defense Forces Cemetery.

Minister of Defense Jaak Aaviksoo made a statement for the media. “Today, the remains of eight Red Army soldiers have finally been laid to rest. We truly hope that this will be their last resting place. We are relieved that their remains will no longer be exploited against the sovereign Republic of Estonia. We have fulfilled our obligation and have provided a final resting place for the soldiers.”

The diplomatic corps, various defense attachés, representatives of veterans' organizations, the war graves maintenance association, the War Graves Committee and the Estonian Red Cross also attended the ceremony.

In continuation of their passive-agressive stance on all things Estonian, no representative of the Russian embassy or government attended. The Russian ambassador and members of the Estonian associations of Soviet war veterans will organize their own memorial service in the coming days.

A plaque was placed at the gravesite with the identified names of the deceased inscribed in the Cyrillic alphabet, and the exact location of each grave is indicated on a map.

[Stan]

This billboard in St. Petersburg, Russia makes it quite clear how Russians feel about Estonia lately. This is a travel agency advertisement and the billboard offers no trips to Estonia, but offers "friendly prices to other destinations."

[Stan]

An interesting turn of events for the Baltic States following the Tallinn riots and Russian threats.

Estonian veterans of Waffen SS legions and "Forest Brothers" met this past weekend for the 15th time, where authorities told them that the State counts on them when building up national consciousness and defending the homeland.

Approx. 300 veterans of Estonia's 20th Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS and other Wehrmacht units including a few Waffen SS veterans from Austria and Norway gathered near Vaivara’s Sinimäe, the site of a major battle between Nazi and Soviet Armys in summer of 44.

Estonian Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo greeted the participants in absentee and called upon them to defend the homeland from enemies both at home and abroad. The Minister also stated that Estonia needs them right now, referring to the recent riots triggered by relocating the Red Army's bronze statue from downtown Tallinn to a military cemetery.

Some great photos at the link !

[tequila]

Wow. That sort of Nazi love makes me abandon any positive thoughts of Estonia I've had previously, for sure. The Estonians would be better off not publicizing this side of their nationalism in the West.