The Kremlin's mouthpiece makes excuses for the demolition of the monument to Latvians

Neatkarīgā's publications on the monument to Latvian riflemen demolished in Russia have earned the attention of the Kremlin's mouthpiece Sputnik because the actions of St. Petersburg do not look any better than the dismantling of the arbitrary symbol of occupation in Jēkabpils. Such an analogy is completely detrimental to the "liberators" of the Russian world (Russkiy mir), as it reveals the duplicity of their memorial policy.

The propaganda of Russian monuments works only in memory of the soldiers who serve the foreign policy interests of the current Kremlin power. For "liberators" only. On the other hand, Latvian riflemen (and not red ones) do not really fit in this concept. Therefore, the demolition of the memorial in St. Petersburg is "only the dismantling of arbitrary construction", but the dismantling of the cannon in Jēkabpils is a "screaming act of vandalism".

Which construction is more arbitrary

It is significant that the article of the Kremlin commentator Dmitry Yermolayev “PR hackwork in St. Petersburg. How and why an arbitrary construction on Latvian Riflemen Street was demolished” was published only in the Russian version. Because it is the compatriots who must be told that the two cases should not be compared. One must not give the impression that the Kremlin itself has set an example of how to deal with historical artifacts inconvenient to power. And here it should be reminded again that the monument to the Latvian riflemen was demolished a month (!) before the deactivated 76mm cannon was thrown into the Daugava. Memorial stele versus a weapon of occupation. There is a difference.

In the Sputnik publication, however, the monument to Latvians is constantly called an arbitrary construction. Yes, it is true, the local authorities denied the stele official status. However, in a broader sense, the Jēkabpils cannon on a pedestal was a much more arbitrary construction. The Kremlin, in this case, Dmitry Yermolayev, likes to call the Soviet army a liberator, but for the people of Latvia, this arbitrary "liberation" brought 50 years of occupation and immeasurable suffering.

The Soviet authorities arrived arbitrarily, arbitrarily sent people to their deaths and arbitrarily also installed a cannon in Jēkabpils.

Therefore, the cannon of the Soviet army should not remain on Latvian soil, as well as other "liberator" artifacts.

A document that does not protect the stele

In its publication, Sputnik invokes the interstate agreement signed in 1994 as a justification for the fact that the monument to Latvian riflemen may be demolished in Russia, but the cannon may not be touched in Latvia:

"Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Latvia on Social Protection of Military Pensioners of the Russian Federation and their Family Members Residing in the Territory of the Republic of Latvia." God only knows why it was in this agreement that an article was included on the maintenance of memorial structures and mass burial sites. Article 13:

“In accordance with international practice, Latvia shall ensure the cleaning, landscaping and preservation of memorial structures and mass burial sites of soldiers in the territory of the Republic of Latvia, as well as shall not obstruct the burial and funeral rituals of deceased military retirees and their families. In the same manner, Russia shall ensure the cleaning of memorial structures and burial places of Latvians, Livonians and Latvian citizens who have died as a result of wars and repression in the territory of the Russian Federation."

If such an agreement protects a cannon important to the Kremlin but does not protect a memorial important to Latvia, then something in this document is wrong.

And it should be reminded that this is the agreement that also protects the monument "To the liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from German fascist invaders", which glorifies the red occupation army. And more than 300 other artifacts of the Soviet occupation regime, other than cemeteries and burials. Thirty years after regaining independence, they are still in the Latvian environment.

Why it matters

Of course, the subject of monuments is very sensitive, and the Kremlin uses it as an instrument of influence. It is no wonder that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacts very carefully to the news about the monument demolished in Russia: “As it is currently possible to conclude from the public information, the mentioned memorial site in Russia is not the subject of interstate agreements between Latvia and Russia, however, what has happened is not acceptable to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We believe that such an action against a memorial site dedicated to Latvian riflemen clearly demonstrates Russia's growing disrespect for the victims of war and Latvia." This is not a text from a note, but a cautious response sent to Neatkarīgā.

However, the caution of other national media in covering this event is incomprehensible. Sputnik has also noticed this, emphasizing that until the removal of the Jēkabpils cannon in St. Petersburg, the "dismantling of arbitrary construction" was noticed only by the local researcher Alexander Rzhavin, but now also by the "influential Latvian publication Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze". Indeed, for a whole month, this message circulated only on the Russian-speaking Internet, unnoticed by the Latvian media. Well, it has finally been noticed, but why most of the media is still silent about it is not clear. Not a word in the national news agency LETA. There are publications about the cannon, not about the stele. There was a microscopic story on state television, the last one before the weather segment - without any references, without a comment from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As if the demolition of the monument to Latvian riflemen would be quite an everyday and unimportant event.

But it is important. If only because there is still a monument in Pārdaugava "To the liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from German fascist invaders".

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