Estonia: Stone Age spring?

Spring in Estonia promises renewal -- of cyber attacks.  

The country is braced to face fresh assaults on its internet infrastructure on Sunday, the first anniversary of the controversial decision to move a Soviet-era war memorial from the centre of the capital Tallinn. 

Last year, the tiny Baltic country -- the economic success of which is built largely on its 'e-society' status, with paperless government and electronic voting -- was bombarded by coordinated cyber attacks on government, bank, telecom and news websites after relocating the Bronze Soldier statue. Moscow, which celebrates victory in World War II on May 9, denied any government involvement in the web assaults and seethed over the statue's removal, calling it an insult to the Soviet fighters who chased the Nazis out of Estonia.

This week should reveal if the statue -- and its removal -- has become a permanent flashpoint for tension between ethnic Estonian and Russian-speaking nationalists. The events highlighted the undercurrent of discontent that exists among many young Russians, who feel alienated in Estonian society, but emboldened by Russia's growing assertiveness.

Although successive Estonian governments have spent million of euros on Estonian-language training, Russian school reform and other integration campaigns, the feeling of many lower-class Russians has been that they are not wanted in Estonia and have no future in the country. They -- and other incensed Russian nationalists around the world -- may try to hit Estonia where it hurts again this weekend.