(Bloomberg) -- Latvia knocked over an 80-meter (262-foot) Soviet World War II monument in the capital Riga in the latest challenge to relations with Russia.
The obelisk crashed into a pool of water in the monument complex hours after construction machinery began to hammer away at its base. The demolition followed Baltic neighbor Estonia's removal of a Soviet monument last week that triggered the biggest wave of cyber attacks there in over a decade.
Many ethnic Russians in Latvia, a minority that makes up about a quarter of the 1.9 million population, have embraced the monument, while many Latvians view it as a symbol of Soviet occupation.
The European Union and NATO member has detained seven protesters since it fenced off the monument complex, which consisted of the obelisk and two sculptures, when demolition began on Monday.
Latvia is among Europe's fiercest advocates of tougher sanctions against Russia. It has stopped granting tourist visas for Russians and passed laws to remove Soviet monuments since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine. The destruction of the monument was broadcast live on Latvian media.
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