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Estonia blames Russia, Russian Federation accuses Estonia · 2007-04-29 13:23

unrest in EstoniaEstonia has accused Russia of provoking two nights of rioting over the removal of a Soviet war memorial in the centre of the capital, Tallinn.

Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said Moscow had made provocative statements and meddled in Estonia's internal affairs.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced serious concern over the removal of the World War II monument.

One Russian protester was killed during the violence and 153 people were injured and some 800 arrests made.

Estonians say the bronze soldier symbolises Soviet occupation while its supporters say it commemorates heroes who fought the Nazis.

Estonia's government would not reveal where it took the 1.83m (six foot) statue but spokesman Martin Jasko said it would ultimately be placed at the military cemetery in Tallinn.

Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip urged Estonians not to allow what he described as those sowing hatred to divide the country.

Russia's foreign ministry accused Estonia of using "excessive force against demonstrators defending a memorial to those who fought against fascism".

For local ethnic Russians it is one insult too many, the BBC's Richard Galpin says, after what they feel has been years of discrimination against them by the majority Estonian population.

The decision to remove the Soviet monument has strained relations with Russia, which called it “blasphemous”.

More than a quarter of Estonia’s 1.3m people are ethnically Russian, and speak the language.

Estonia rocked by a second night of rioting
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