Demolition of War Memorial in Riga Leads to Degradation of Russia-Latvia Ties - Moscow

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The destruction of the monument to the soldiers-liberators of Riga and Latvia is unacceptable for a civilized country and leads to further degradation of relations between Moscow and Riga, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

On Wednesday morning, the dismantling of the monument to the Liberators of Riga was resumed in the Latvian capital, a female figure was demolished.

"The destruction of the Monument to the soldiers of the Soviet Army — the liberators of Riga and Latvia from the Nazi invaders — is unacceptable for a civilized country," Zakharova said.

This is being done in spite of Latvia's international obligations and protests from its own citizens, she said.

Riga should be aware that the idea of ​​demolishing the monument will not be able to destroy the memory of the feat of the Soviet liberators and will only lead to further "degradation of bilateral relations," the spokeswoman said.

The Russian embassy in Latvia has already prepared proposals on countermeasures to the demolition of Soviet monuments.

"We are sending our thoughts and proposals to Moscow... [The measures are] both diplomatic and economic in nature," Russian Ambassador to Latvia Mikhail Vanin said on air of the Rossiya 1 broadcaster.

The ambassador added that the relations between Moscow and Riga have been reduced to the level of "technical contacts."

Gennady Gatilov, Russia's Permanent Representative in the UN Office in Geneva, said on Wednesday that he will request that the Baltic states be condemned at the level of the United Nations for the demolition of Soviet monuments. He added that this move will not erase the feelings of pride, love, and respect for their ancestors in hundreds of thousands of citizens of the Baltic states.