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Russia may rebury WWII heroes if Estonia destroys memorials

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MOSCOW, February 1 (RIA Novosti) - Russia could rebury Soviet World War II soldiers on its own territory if Estonia chooses to demolish Soviet memorials, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

The parliament of EU-member Estonia approved January 10 a law allowing the reburial of Soviet soldiers who died fighting Nazi invaders during World War II, but who are seen by many Estonians as former occupiers.

"If it comes to demolishing the memorials and reburying the sacred remains of our soldiers, we will suggest to the Estonian authorities that we rebury them on Russian soil," Putin told an annual Kremlin news conference, adding that WWII veterans living in the Baltic country should be asked their opinion on the matter.

"Veterans of the Great Patriotic War [the Russian name for WWII's Eastern Front] live in the Baltic countries, and their opinion must also be asked - whether it is correct to move monuments commemorating the joint fight against the Nazis to our territory," Putin said.

Estonian authorities have said monuments dividing society must be removed, a sentiment that gained new momentum after clashes in front of the Monument to the Soviet Liberator in central Tallinn last year, between Estonian nationalists and Russians living in the country.

The statue was built on a grave of 13 Soviet soldiers who were buried there in 1947 after liberating Estonia from Nazi invaders in autumn 1944.

Putin said the Estonian law was a short-sighted ultra-nationalist move at odds with present-day reality.

"Many European countries do not only leave monuments to soldiers who liberated Europe from the Nazis, and take care of them, but look after them better than we do here in Russia, as much as it pains me to say this," the president said, citing the example of Germany in particular.

There are at least 100 graves of Soviet soldiers on Estonian territory.

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