Story perspectives

Tomsk’s “Stone of Grief” Removed, Baltics Cry Barbaric.

4/24/2026

Summary

Story summary

Workers dismantled Tomsk’s Square of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repression, including the “Stone of Grief,” over the weekend.
Officials first cited a garage-collapse risk, then switched to landslide danger and removed the statements.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland sent a April 22 letter to Russia’s Ministry calling the demolition “barbaric” and demanding restoration.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the act erases memory and urged Russia to stop destroying memorials.

History

Historical Context

The 23 August 1989 Baltic Way—about two million people linking hands across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to protest Soviet occupation—set a precedent for defending historic memory. That legacy resurfaced on 22 April 2024 when Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland jointly condemned Tomsk’s demolition of the Square of Remembrance, citing the chain’s call to protect memorial sites.

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Story summary

Workers dismantled Tomsk’s Square of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repression, including the “Stone of Grief,” over the weekend.
Officials first cited a garage-collapse risk, then switched to landslide danger and removed the statements.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland sent a April 22 letter to Russia’s Ministry calling the demolition “barbaric” and demanding restoration.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the act erases memory and urged Russia to stop destroying memorials.

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