The Estonian Foreign Ministry notified Russia on Monday of the latest development of the Red Army monument removal.

In a note to the Russian embassy in Tallin, the foreign ministry said that the Estonian side has uncovered the remains of 12 Red Army soldiers buried at the Soviet-time war memorial and will conduct DNA testing to determine the identity of each of the coffins.

The coffins will be reburied in a military cemetery in Tallin, the foreign ministry said, hoping that the Russian side will inform the Estonian authorities by June 7 of the list of the relatives who intend to attend the funerals.

And the Estonian government will cover the travel expenses, it added.

On April 26, the Estonian government ordered the removal of the Soldier Liberator monument located in the Tynismyagi square, which commemorates Soviet soldiers killed during World War II.

The move triggered violent protests from ethnic Russians in the Baltic country and drew strong criticisms from Russia. On April 27, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Estonian government had "spat on values."

Source: Xinhua