As tensions between Russia and the West rise amid the conflict in Ukraine, officials in Estonia announced on Tuesday that the prime minister of the Baltic nation has been placed on a wanted list in Russia due to her efforts to remove monuments from the Soviet era of World War II.
Russian media reported that Kaja Kallas, Estonia’s Prime Minister, has been listed on the Interior Ministry’s register of individuals wanted on criminal charges.
The timing of her addition to the list, which also includes officials and lawmakers from other Baltic nations, remains unclear. Although the ministry did not specify the charges against Kallas, it is believed to be related to her efforts to remove World War II monuments.
Estonia, along with NATO members Latvia and Lithuania, has been advocating for the removal of WWII monuments, which are viewed as symbols of Soviet occupation.
However, Moscow has strongly opposed these actions, condemning them as disrespectful to the memory of Soviet soldiers who fought against the Nazis.
The decision to include Kaja Kallas, Estonia’s Prime Minister, on the Interior Ministry’s wanted list underscores the Kremlin’s efforts to escalate tensions amid pressure from NATO allies as the conflict in Ukraine approaches its two-year mark. While this move holds little practical significance due to frozen Russia-West contacts during the conflict, it coincides with growing concerns among European NATO members about the implications of the U.S. election for the alliance’s future.
Notably, this marks the first instance of a foreign leader being added to the ministry’s wanted list. Alongside Kallas, Estonian Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop and Lithuanian Culture Minister Simonas Kairys have also been listed, along with numerous officials and lawmakers from Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. The inclusion of these individuals, accessible to the public, is reportedly linked to their involvement in the removal of monuments, as confirmed by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
This action by Russia is seen as a response to perceived hostile actions toward historic memory and the country itself by Kallas and others. The move aligns with Russia’s laws criminalizing the “rehabilitation of Nazis” and underscores Putin’s assertion that combating far-right and neo-Nazi groups in Ukraine is a central objective of the ongoing conflict. Additionally, this move may be interpreted as Moscow’s effort to counteract an arrest warrant issued against Putin by the International Criminal Court over allegations of deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.
Amidst rising tensions between NATO and Russia, coupled with uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the U.S. election, the contrasting approaches of former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden toward NATO have fueled apprehensions among European allies. Trump’s past statements suggesting conditional defense commitments to NATO members have raised concerns, prompting pledges from governments across Europe to strengthen security and defense capabilities in response.