Russia Summons Latvia’s Ambassador over Demolition of Soviet Monuments

Latvia’s ambassador to Russia Maris Riekstins was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday over the demolition of soviet monuments.

Moscow strongly protested the ongoing policy of state vandalism in Latvia for dismantling Soviet memorials, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a news release.

Riekstins was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on November 10. 

"We consider this ba

rbarism in the context of Riga’s official policy of glorification of Nazism," the Foreign Ministry affirmed.

"Attention was drawn to the ambassador's public anti-Russian statements, in particular, those to the effect that Riga was demolishing monuments to Soviet liberators because Russia's special military operation in Ukraine was allegedly a continuation of the war against fascism in the middle of last century. It was noted that such neo-fascist statements by a diplomat working in Russia were unacceptable," the ministry stressed.

Last July, Russian gas producer Gazprom stopped supplying gas to Latvia due to violating conditions for gas withdrawal.

"Gazprom suspended its gas supplies to Latvia... due to violations of the conditions" of purchase, the company said on Telegram. It was not specified which withdrawal condition had been violated.