Russian Foreign Ministry imposed sanctions against 144 citizens of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia

Moscow imposes sanctions against 144 citizens of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia “hostile” towards Russia, should from the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

“The 144 citizens of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia included in the list are also involved in the barbaric campaign launched by the authorities of these states for the mass demolition of monuments to Soviet soldiers-liberators, the persecution of the Russian-speaking population, the rewriting of history, the glorification of Nazism and the criminal line being pursued to escalate the Ukrainian conflict and inflate the Kiev regime weapons,” the statement said.

The Foreign Ministry also noted that this step is being introduced as a response to the active lobbying by the Baltic states of sanctions and other measures against Russia, interference in internal affairs, as well as “inciting Russophobic sentiments.”

On January 23, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Estonian Ambassador Margus Laidre and announced to him that the level of diplomatic representative in both countries was downgraded to charge d’affaires. The ambassador was ordered to leave Russia by 7 February. In the Russian Foreign Ministry, this decision was explained by total Russophobia on the part of Estonia, as well as the deliberate destruction of relations with Moscow by Tallinn. In response, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said that Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lipaev must also leave Tallinn by February 7.

On January 27, the Foreign Ministry demanded that the Latvian Ambassador leave Russia within two weeks after the downgrading of Russian-Latvian diplomatic relations.