Latvia will tomorrow remove a Soviet-era monument erected in honor of the Red Army's victory over Nazi Germany, BTA reports, citing authorities.

Latvian authorities will carry out the dismantling a week after neighboring Estonia took such a step.

The Baltic countries have removed numerous monuments glorifying the former USSR or communist leaders.

In addition, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have taken a hard line against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February.

A large-scale cyber attack in Estonia after the dismantling of a Soviet monument

Riga police put up a yellow fence to close off the area near the monument in Victory Park.

The monument, built in 1985, when Latvia was still part of the Soviet Union, will be demolished with specialized equipment, without the use of explosives, said Janis Lange of the city administration of the Latvian capital.

It is not yet clear what will happen to the monument after it is removed.

The concrete obelisk is part of a complex that includes two groups of statues – three Red Army men on one side and a woman with raised hands representing the Motherland on the other.

The entire complex will be demolished.

Latvia, which shares a border with Russia, is home to a large group of ethnic Russians.

On May 9, when Russia celebrates Victory Day, they gather in front of the monument to lay flowers, and concerts are also organized.

The event sparked controversy among people in Latvia, which regained its independence in 1991 and later became a member of NATO and the EU.

The Russian Union of Latvia said over the weekend it was planning a protest tonight.

The organization said it had collected more than 10,000 signatures of people opposed to removing the monument.

However, according to Janis Lange's statement at a press conference today, the Riga City Council has stated that it will not grant permission for a protest.

In May, Latvia's parliament voted to remove the monument, and the capital's city council later adopted a similar decision.

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