TALLINN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Estonia will re-erect the disputed soldier statue at a military cemetery and will invite representatives from countries which participated in the anti-Nazi war to attend a ceremony for the statue's relocation, Estonia's defense minister said on Sunday.

    The Bronze Soldier monument commemorating Red Army soldiers who died during World War II will be re-erected at a cemetery outside Tallinn's city center by May 8, a day before Russians celebrate the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo told reporters.

    Representatives from countries which participated in the anti-Nazi war will be invited to the public inauguration ceremony on May 8, and some Estonian statesmen and World War II veterans will also be invited, he said.

    The Estonian government on Sunday began preparations for the re-location of the soldier statue and the re-erection will likely be completed by Monday, according to Aaviksoo.

    The Estonian authorities removed the soldier statue from its previous location at Tallinn's city center early Friday amid violent protests by ethnic Russians, who were infuriated at the government's plans to move the statue and exhume the remains of soldiers buried in graves nearby.

    The statue's removal also irritated Russia, where lawyers threatened sanctions and President Vladimir Putin expressed concern about the "crisis situation."

    Also on Sunday, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet criticized Russia for not doing its best to protect the Estonian embassy in Russia.

    Russia's lack of effective measures to protect the embassy has led to the continuous deterioration of the security situation at the embassy, which is totally "unacceptable," the minister said.