Russia vents fury as Estonia moves WWII statue

Moscow - Russia reacted furiously on Friday after Estonia removed a Soviet war monument from central Tallinn amid violent riots, clouding diplomatic relations between the two neighbours.

"We must react without hysteria but take serious steps to express our genuine attitude to this inhumane action," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying.

A foreign ministry spokesman called the removal of the monument "blasphemous" and "inhuman," adding that Russia would re-examine its relations with the ex-Soviet Baltic state in light of the incident.

Around 30 members of two pro-Kremlin youth groups meanwhile held a rally outside the Estonian embassy in Moscow on Friday and waved placards reading: "Hitler is Estonia's Idol," "Shame!" and "Fascists!"

"My grandfather fought against fascism and now Estonia is waging a political war against our country," said Sergei Belov, a 23-year-old activist.

In the Estonian capital overnight one person died and at least 43 were injured in a looting rampage and clashes with police after the statue of a Soviet Red Army was removed from a city square.

The removal of the monument has angered many in Russia, where nostalgia for the Soviet Union is still widespread and Victory Day on May 9 continues to be a major yearly celebration.

Estonia, where around 12 per cent of the population of 1.4 million are ethnic-Russian, has joined the Nato military alliance and the European Union since breaking off from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Russia sees the monument as a memorial to those who defeated Nazi Germany during World War II, but for many Estonians it is a painful reminder of 50 years of post-war occupation of the Baltic state by the Soviets.

The speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament, Sergei Mironov, proposed a non-binding resolution to be voted on later Friday asking Russian President Vladimir Putin to break diplomatic relations with Estonia.

"Enough of blaspheming our victory in World War II!" Mironov said.

The deputy speaker of the lower house of parliament, Oleg Morozov, also called for "the toughest possible sanctions" against Estonia and said the removal of the monument was "a barbaric decision."

Russian officials have waved the threat of economic sanctions against Estonia, which depends heavily on Russia for oil and gas supplies, as well as acting as a transport hub for the export of Russian goods.

First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov earlier urged Russians to avoid holidaying in Estonia and purchasing Estonian goods, while calling for new terminals on Russia's Baltic Sea coast to avoid the Estonian route.

Russia imports electronic goods, dairy products and fish from Estonia. Russian news agencies have reported isolated boycotts of Estonian goods in Russian shops in recent weeks.

At a press conference, Estonia's ambassador to Moscow, Marina Kaljurand, condemned the rioting in Tallinn and said the threat of diplomatic sanctions against Estonia was "unfounded."

"It was clear that the Bronze Soldier was just an excuse for young people, who turned over cars and broke windows, stole alcohol and threw everything they could get their hands on," Kaljurand said.

"We consider ending diplomatic relations unfounded.... Estonia has done nothing to provoke anyone," she said.

"Our most important partner is the European Union. Russia is our neighbour."

Agence France Presse