Foreign ministry rejects Russia's claims of Red Army liberation

Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tallinn.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tallinn. Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs rebutted claims by Russia's foreign ministry that Estonia was liberated by Soviet Troops in September 1944, on its social media account.

Last week, as reported on ERR News, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that it did not accept the concept of Soviet occupation, stating that this was a false presentation of the "liberation of European peoples from fascist enslavement."

Moscow also held a fireworks celebration marking the "liberation" of Tallinn, as it has done or will do for many other Central and Eastern European capitals as the 75th anniversary of the events take place.

"We reject historically inaccurate claims ... that Estonia was 'liberated' by Soviet troops," the Estonian foreign ministry tweeted on Monday.

"The Republic of Estonia didn't take part in World War Two and was occupied by both Nazi Germany & Soviet Russia. The so-called 'liberation' was [an] occupation that lasted nearly 50 years," the tweet continued.

Sunday saw the marking of national resistance day, with processions and commemorations both in Tallinn, and in Lääne Viru County, where the last free Estonian government under Otto Tief held its final sessions after leaving Tallinn. Some government members fled the country, most notably Helmut Maandi, who kept the issue of Estonia as a nation alive from exile in Sweden.

September also marks the 75th anniversary of the flight of Estonian refugees, marked at Estonian House in New York at a reception attended by Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Centre) and Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa). Guests included representatives of the North American Latvian and Lithuanian communities, as well as those of Estonia.

The event coincided with the 74th session of the UN's General Assembly, which is to be attended this week by President Kersti Kaljulaid, as well as foreign minister Reinsalu.

The Estonian foreign ministry's tweet met with support from British journalist, blogger and former Conservative MP Louise Mensch.

"Thank you for your friendship … All your Western allies respect and admire you," Mensch tweeted.

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Editor: Andrew Whyte

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