On this day, we remember one of the darkest chapters in Estonian 🇪🇪 history.
In March 1949, the Soviet regime forcibly deported over 20,000 Estonians—mostly women, children, & the elderly - to Siberia.
Their crime? Simply existing as Estonians.🧵 2/8
Families were torn apart, homes were left empty, & entire communities were erased overnight.
Crammed into cattle wagons like animals, they were dent to Siberia. Thousands perished from cold, hunger, & forced labor. Many never returned.

We live free here in #Estonia 🇪🇪 thanks to brave men and women who stood up to tyranny and declared all peoples have the right to self-determination.

That’s why on Estonian Independence Day, as every day, we #StandWithUkraine.

Got a moment? Let us tell you a story. 🧵 Rewind.

It’s 1918 and the Russian empire is crumbling.

German forces are advancing on the Baltic coast, assuming it’s their turn to rule here.

But the Estonian people, who have endured six centuries of rule by warring empires, realize they have a brief window of opportunity.

It’s another historic day for European integration.

🇪🇪 Estonia, 🇱🇻 Latvia, & 🇱🇹 Lithuania have now unplugged from Russia’s power grid.

🧵 Here’s how our new connection as part of Europe will turbocharge energy security.

(Also, check out Estonia’s nature-inspired pylons!) Until now, the Baltic countries 🇪🇪🇱🇻🇱🇹 had been part of Russia’s power grid.

This legacy of occupation meant that Moscow - which uses energy as a weapon - had control of the frequency. That’s a critical element in maintaining reliable power supply.

That dependency ends today!

Russia has a long history of having no regard for human life & their homes.

Today we are remembering 7⃣5⃣ years since Soviets #deported over 20 000 Estonians from their homes to Russia.

Not much has changed, as deportations are taking place today in #Ukraine.
🧵 The story of deportations started with the #Molotov-#Ribbentrop Pact where Russians made a deal with Nazis to divide Europe among themselves.

Both the Soviets & Nazis carried out mass deportations to dispose of ‘unwanted’ people.

1/9 Estonia is concerned by the human rights situation in #Crimea.

Remarks by @MFAEstonia 🇪🇪 Undersec for Political Affairs @realPaulTeesalu at @UN Security Council Arria-Formula meeting on #humanrights situation in #Crimea & Sevastopol 🇺🇦

⬇️ See thread ⬇️

#EstoniaUNSC 2/9 #Russia’s actions in Crimea are part of the Kremlin’s broader campaign to destabilize Ukraine.

We are concerned about the human rights situation in #Crimea. According to reports by human rights defenders, the situation continues to deteriorate.