[i]Dismantling of the monument to the pilots of the 1st Guards aviation regiment of the air force of the Baltic fleet in Skulte. Archive photoMOSCOW, 23 Jul - RIA Novosti. The dismantling of monuments in Estonia and Latvia is a psychological war with Russia, reported RIA Novosti expert at the International Institute of humanitarian and political researches Bruter Vladimir.The Latvian authorities on Tuesday started the dismantling of the monument to the Liberators of Riga. Earlier in the vicinity of Narva Estonian authorities had carried out the dismantling of the monument, and six of the monuments, and the Vilnius city Council adopted a decision on the demolition of the memorial to Soviet soldiers in Antakalnis cemetery, where is the country's largest burial liberators of Lithuania."Dismantling of the monument - it is a psychological war, which began in 1991, when the Russian population in Estonia and Latvia was deprived of citizenship. It (the government of the Baltic countries) should show what Russian does not know how to protect themselves, their interests and their values, so focus on the Russian Western world doesn't make sense," said Bruter.He noted that the Baltic countries provoke this decision deliberately to Russia responded "most strongly".According to the expert, the authorities of the Baltic countries "long crossed the" point of no return in relations with Russia."We just did not pay attention and tried to keep a constructive approach. Now we have to understand and not to respond sharply, knowing that the second edge is not needed," said Bruter.In his opinion, the Latvian authorities can intimidate the inhabitants, that they were not staged protests."They (the authorities of Latvia) all the time, intimidating, and quite specifically. Nobody wants to be left without means of subsistence, even without the possibility to quietly leave the country, if such decision is made. Therefore, the level of protest can always be adjusted. It is important to understand that history with the demolition of the monuments shows the level of democracy, which there was, is and will be", - said the expert.Cases of vandalism of Soviet monuments in the Baltic countries increased after the beginning of the special operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine.
