In the beginning of May the Russian Orthodox Church conduct services at the graves of WWII soldiers and many Russian people bring flowers to these graves. This tradition is Russian - not communist. Indeed desecration of WWII soldiers grave in that particular time of the year received blessing from Estonia's Western allies. Yes, some rise of nationalism and xenophobia is taking place. However, majority of Russian protesters are speaking against fascits and skeanheads. Skinheads here in Russia and in Western Europe feel free to humiliate and to kill anybody who have got "wrong color of skin" or "wrong nationality". We need to say firm "NO" to any skinheads. I am tired of hollow words of our pro-Western polticians. I would like to vote for closer political relations with the countries where Russians are not treated as "sub-humans". What about China ? Can China and Russia have common political interests and respect each other? Weren't we part of Mongolia? Asia always helped us.

Yuri , Moscow, Russia

what a shame we can not get the past .the time is now
Estonia and must have there identeen

stephen patrick kelly, stevenage, hertfordshire

I would like say to Mr. Beeston that our country and our Baltic neighbours joined the EU and NATO in 2004 not 1994 as mentioned in this article.

Indrek Moppel, Tallinn, Estonia

Big respect for the Estonian and all the Baltics! Communism is the worst plague the world has ever suffered, they're the only fascist now.
If russians don't like to be guests in the Baltics they can go back to russia, the Baltic Countries are not unliberal like ussr and they can move freely!

Matteo, cormano, Italy

Dear Ivan in Russia...
You said "The situation in Estonia is similar to one in Kosovo back in 1999. There is a large suppressed minority who stripped of citizenship, voting rights, etc. They are not allowed to teach children in their native language. And there are calls from estonians to make ethnical cleansing too." This situation exists only in your bad dream.s..not in Estonia.

"The Russians in Estonia have Russian-language schools. If they are Estonian citizens, they can vote in all elections, if not, they can vote in local elections. And no one has talked about ethnic cleansing".

The plan is to relocated the monument to a Military Cemetery in Tallinn...about a kilometer away from its former location...why is exhuming the remains of war dead from a public park (and underneath a bus stop) and reburying them in a proper cemetary disrespectful? Since when is violent looting of liquor stores, Hugo Boss and Armani shops civilized form of political protest?

Former NYer in Tallinn, Tallinn, Estoniz

//Do you know that not only Russians protested but all normal people in Estonia.//

Sorry, but no - your sources misinform you. There really were only Russians.

Mihkel, Tallinn, Estonia

firstly, the author should read hsitory books bit more carefully...the occupation of baltics took place in 1940 but not 1941. secondly, everyone know what nazis had done to jews, unfortunately, no one seems to know the history of soviets occupying baltic states..no one seems to know how many thousands of people were exiled and dies in siberia. many people dont seem to know that estonians speak estonian, latvians latvian and lithunians lithuanian and not russian!!! ALL SUPPORT TO ESTONIA
lithuanian

audrius, london,

The situation in Estonia is similar to one in Kosovo back in 1999. There is a large suppressed minority who stripped of citizenship, voting rights, etc. They are not allowed to teach children in their native language. And there are calls from estonians to make ethnical cleansing too.

Yes, estonians don't like Red Army uniform. They prefer the uniform of SS. Thats one they were wearing during WWII.

Ivan, Moscow, Russia

go to youtube.com put the words 'sausio 13 lietuva'. you will see what happened when lithuania announced its independence.and then you will realize why there are scars, and why there are riots in tallin, estonia.

nevermind, london,

Well excuse me but thats complete rubish!
That monument wears soviet army uniform...we dont like occupants!
Yall should all learn more history then u know what russians did to us!
My grandparents died in siberia and our lands and farms were confiscated!
9-th of may means victory over nazi germany to europe yes, but we got ocupied by russia that day so its very sad day to us! Same goes for all baltic countrys.
Most of the protested peaople wer indeed russians.
Number 1 reason why to remove this statue is....that we dont like russians waveing red flag there and burn ours(that happened some months ago and started all of this)

If this statue would wear any other uniform as liberator of europe it would be ok to me, but not red army uniform that reminds me communism and soviet rule!

I really hope western world would understand us, casue i dont care what russia saying!
And those russians who rioted in Tallin...go back to russia if u dont like here! Putin said u can...then go.....

Estonian Patriot, Pärnu, Estonia

nationalism is a sickness

red cloud, cascades, ZA

// a simple victory of good over evil//
really ?

//The protests by ethnic Russians against the removal//
What does it mean "ethnic Russians"?
Do you know that not only Russians protested but all normal people in Estonia.

Julia, Kaliningrad, Rossia

Dear Sir,

It is clear that Mr Beeston is not very much in history. Baltic states were "invaded" in 1940. The title of the article is very offensive for people who lost their relatives in WWII. My three uncles never came back from that war.

Dr Oleg Matveyev, Dundee, Scotland

I am thinking that people from other countries doesn't understand our problems in Estonia or
they don't know history about Estonia. Yes, Russian army helped to war win, but they forgot to go away from Estonia after war and after that Stalin did the same thing with our people like Hitler did with Jews.
For most people Red Army is at same level like Nazi army.
Do you people know about Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact some thing and how Stalin and Hitler divided Europe for germant and for USSR ?

Imps, Tallinn, Estonia