Soviet-era monument’s iconic obelisk comes down in Latvia

The Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders in Latvia (Kaspars Krafts/F64/AP/PA)

A concrete obelisk with Soviet stars at the top that was the centerpiece of a monument commemorating the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany has been taken down in Latvia’s capital.

Heavy machinery was spotted behind a green privacy screen fence at the foot of the nearly 80-metre obelisk shortly before its removal. The column, which had stood like a high-rise in the landscape of downtown Riga, crashed into a nearby pond at Victory Park.