State Duma may weigh repealing Russia's recognition of Estonia's, Latvia's independence

TALLINN - The Russian State Duma, which is currently discussing repealing Russia’s recognition of Lithuania’s independence, may subsequently also revoke Russia's recognition of the independence on Estonia, Latvia and Ukraine, the news site Gazeta.ru reported on Tuesday, citing deputy of the State Duma Yevgeny Fedorov.

"There are a number of reasons why Lithuania should be the first on this list. Once the mechanism has been developed, we can also use it with regard to other NATO territories. And not only NATO. Ukraine, for example, also accidentally left the Soviet Union," Fedorov, a deputy of the United Russia party, said in an interview with Sputnik Latvia.

According to him, it is with this country that there is a "specific territorial problem related to the law" of 1990 "On the procedure for resolving issues arising from the withdrawal of the republic from the USSR."

"We have the right, as the legal successor of the Soviet Union, to define them as conflicting, disputable. This does not apply to all areas. If the country does not pose any threat, then we will not change anything with them -- there will still be peace and friendship," Fedorov said.

Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis has previously described Fedorov's initiative as a direct threat to Lithuania.