Lithuania marks 25th anniversary of Soviet army’s withdrawal

The last Soviet army echelon left Lithuania at 11.46 p.m. on Aug. 31, 1993.

„It was a major victory for the state after restoring independence, and marked the end of real occupation,” Minister of National Defense Raimundas Karoblis says.

A solemn ceremony will be held in Independence Square in Vilnius on this occasion. Troops from the Lithuanian army’s Guard of Honor will raise the Lithuanian flag as the country’s anthem will be performed and will perform their showcase program, the Ministry of National Defense said.

The ceremony will be attended by President Dalia Grybauskaitė, Speaker of the Seimas Viktoras Pranckietis, Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, Vytautas Landsbergis, speaker of the Supreme Council-Reconstituent Seimas, etc.

Related Post

The Soviet army entered Lithuania in 1940, marking the beginning of the Baltic country’s 50 year-old occupation which cost many lives.

Lithuania declared impendence on March 11, 1990 and started resolving the issue of the withdrawal of the foreign army. The first withdrawal talks were held on Jan. 31, 1992, and Landsbergis and then Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the final agreement on Sep. 8, setting the timetable for the withdrawal of the Russian army from Lithuania.

Around five divisions were stationed in the Lithuanian territory during the Soviet times, including around 34,500 soldiers, 1,000 tanks, around 180 aircraft and 1,901 IFVs.

Share

Recent Posts

  • Tribune

Historical novel by Kazakh writer Ermek Tursunov “Mamluk”in Lithuanian language presented in Vilnius

On the eve of the Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on December 13,…

4 days ago
  • Foreign affairs

After Nausėda meeting with Budrys, the opposition retorts to the candidate’s “cooling off “

Kęstutis Budrys, the President's Senior Adviser, who has been nominated for the post of Minister…

1 month ago
  • Tribune

Rediscover Bulgaria’s Ancient Heritage: Plovdiv’s Restored Eastern Gate and Nebet Tepe

In the heart of Bulgaria, the city of Plovdiv reveals a rich tapestry of ancient…

1 month ago
  • Foreign affairs

“No need to mince words”: an assessment of what Trump’s victory means for Lithuania

"We can shout very loudly, but it won't change the position of the American people,"…

2 months ago
  • Latest

Lies, disrespect and mockery: experts assess Blinkevičiūtė’s “gift” to voters without scruples

From mocking messages flooding social networks to harsh criticism from political experts, the decision of…

2 months ago
  • Foreign affairs

Another year in the sovereign history of Kazakhstan

Republic Day has been celebrated in Kazakhstan as the main national date since 2022, giving…

2 months ago