RUSSIA:Russian president Vladimir Putin has added his criticism to the growing pressure being exercised against neighbouring Estonia after it removed a Soviet-era statue from its capital Talinn.
Without naming the former Soviet republic, it was clear which Baltic state Mr Putin was attacking in a speech to honour his country's war dead and to mark the 62nd anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.
"Those who are trying today to belittle this invaluable experience, those who desecrate monuments to the heroes of the war, are insulting their own people [ and] sowing discord and new distrust between states and peoples," he said in Moscow yesterday.
In the past few days, transport links between Russia and Estonia have been squeezed, with a crucial road bridge closed to heavy trucks yesterday for repairs.
It follows the decision a day earlier to cancel a newly reopened rail link between St Petersburg and Talinn.
Russia has also cut oil and other commodity exports to Estonian ports to signal its deep anger at the decision to move the "Bronze Soldier" monument and the graves of Soviet soldiers buried nearby to a military graveyard.
The Estonian government has complained about the harassment of its diplomats in Moscow and noisy protests by pro-Kremlin youth groups outside its embassy there, which have now been curtailed.
The anti-Estonian demonstrations were also criticised by the EU.
Although relations between the two capitals were already cool, Estonia now seems to be facing the same kind of tactics deployed against Georgia last year by Moscow.
However, there has been no attempt yet by Moscow to impose trade sanctions or cut all official and diplomatic ties with Estonia, where a large minority of the population are ethnic Russians.
The timing of the Estonian move, which triggered riots, came just ahead of yesterday's anniversary, which is a major public holiday in Russia.
Fighter jets passed over Red Square as veterans wore their medals and proudly posed for pictures with young people as the city centre took on a festive air which was comparable with St Patrick's Day celebrations in Dublin.