The Medininkai Massacre of 1991 - Lithuania
The Medininkai Massacre of 1991
The Medininkai Massacre of 1991, when Soviet OMON forces attacked border guards at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border, marks a tragic chapter in Lithuania’s fight for independence. Seven customs, police, and border guards were killed, and the only surviving witness was seriously injured. This was one of the bloodiest attacks during the USSR’s attempts to destabilize Lithuania.
By August 1991, 18 attacks had targeted Lithuanian border posts,
injuring 60 officials who courageously defended their country’s
sovereignty. Now, 34 years later, we honor the sacrifice of those who
lost their lives and those wounded while protecting Lithuania’s
freedom.
In a moving tribute, the Ambassador Jack Twiss Quarles van Ufford, on behalf of the
foreign diplomatic community, laid flowers at the Medininkai Memorial.
This act reminds us that sovereignty and freedom remain central to our
shared values.
