Those commemorating the victory in the USSR ignore images from Ukraine, but left Georgian’s strip at home
Western Europe, including Lithuania, officially commemorates the end of the war a day earlier, on May 8th. On this day in 1945, Germany signed an unconditional act of capitulation.
However, part of the Lithuanian population, like Russia, marks the end of World War II in Europe on 9 May. They gathered at the cemetery on Sunday, explaining that they took the opportunity to pay tribute to the victims on a non-working day.
Commemoration of the end of the war in Lithuania, where 5 percent. the population is made up of Russians, is becoming the subject of debate every year, and this year the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought additional tensions to these disputes.
The commemoration of the victory day against Nazi Germany, as Russia calls it, is more tense in Lithuania, as the country remained occupied by the Soviet Union after the war.
However, for at least some of those who arrived at the Antakalnis cemetery on Sunday, Russia’s historical narrative seems more acceptable.
“I lived in a free Lithuania. Lithuania was free. “… In my opinion, there was no occupation,” said Jelena, a Russian citizen who introduced herself and refused to disclose her name.
“I don’t want to provoke”
In the afternoon, while visiting a BNS journalist at the Antakalnis cemetery, up to six granite sculptures of Soviet soldiers came and laid flowers.
A crew of police officers was on duty at the memorial, and on Monday, May 9, the number of officers is expected to increase, and there are about 300 more memorials here in Lithuania, fearing provocations.
Deputy Minister of the Interior Vitalijus Dmitrijevas and Commissioner General of the Police Renatas Požėla and their deputy also came to the cemetery to assess the situation.
The police chief said police are still monitoring individuals but see no large-scale threats.
Officials are preparing for possible unrest among the people facing attitudes of war towards the end of World War II and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
They are also watching to see if people are looking for George’s ribbons, a popular sign in black and orange on Victory Day. The Seimas banned the public display of these strips in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
People who gathered at the Soviet soldiers’ memorial were outraged by this, but did not wear the ribbons.
“It seems to me that it is not very good to have been banned. But (…) I don’t want to provoke the people who banned me either, “said Tatiana Deivichenko, a 69-year-old retiree.
Vladimir Kirillin, a 72-year-old retiree, called the ban hysterical.
“It is a symbol of the Soviet Union’s victory over fascist Germany. Why ban it? ”He said.
“It simply came to our notice then. My grandfather came back from the war with the awards and the Georgian ribbon in our family has always been, ”said Jelena.
“We’re here for what?”
Vilnius City Municipality has built six stands with photos from Ukraine at the entrances to the Antakalnis cemetery, in order to remind them of the new war started by Russia.
However, the extent to which they affected those who visited the Soviet memorial is unclear.
“It simply came to our notice then. Our goal was to lay flowers and honor the memory of the soldiers who died, liberating Lithuania and Europe, ”said Jelena.
Daivichenko said she was terrible about the war in Ukraine, but the West was to blame for the conflict, according to the woman, which had provoked Russia.
“I do not care. “War is war,” she said when asked if she had seen the photo.
“People are dying in the war, it’s terrible. On both sides. “… You know, I never dream, and now sometimes I dream of war,” she added.
Cyril did not answer who was to blame for the war in Ukraine, but suggested that people discuss it without being fanaticized.
“The war is bad, but it is up to Russia to decide how it solves its problems. And what are we doing here? ”The man said.
“Where do we live? In Lithuania. We have our own interests and we have our own interests, ”he said.
The Kremlin says it is conducting a “special military operation” to “denationalize” and “demilitarize” Ukraine and forbids calling it war in its country.
But the independent media, Kyiv and Western governments are finding more and more evidence of Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky compared Russia’s invasion of Nazi Germany’s war in Europe in a video released on Sunday.