Lithuania will mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday with solidarity events in Vilnius and Kaunas, as well as commemorations abroad.
In Vilnius, a march titled “Our Flags Are Flags of Freedom!” will begin at Ukrainos Square and proceed to Lukiškės Square. The event will culminate in a concert concluding the RADAROM! fundraising campaign.
This year, residents and business organisations were invited to donate funds to help purchase robotic units for Ukraine’s armed forces.
Twelve commemorative bonfires will be lit in Lukiškės Square. Prominent Lithuanian performers are scheduled to take the stage, and public figures will share reflections and testimonies.
“I hear people say our support does not matter because the course of the war will be decided by international negotiations. Those talks have been going on for more than a year, yet Russia attacks Ukraine every day. Financial support is the least we can do to help Ukraine hold out and win,” said event organiser and journalist Edmundas Jakilaitis.
In Kaunas, solidarity events will take place on Laisvės Avenue and at other locations across the city.
Candles will be lit near the monument to Romas Kalanta and arranged into a symbolic Ukrainian flag. Organizers said the gesture is intended to honour fallen Ukrainian defenders and express solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
A concert of remembrance and unity will be held at the Kaunas Cultural Centre, where attendees will also be invited to write messages of support to Ukrainian soldiers. An exhibition titled “4 Years. 1,461 Days”, featuring stories from the Kharkiv, Lutsk and Lviv regions, will be displayed near the Kaunas City Municipality building through March 24.
President Gitanas Nausėda said Ukrainians’ bravery in resisting the war has inspired millions and reaffirmed Lithuania’s belief in Ukraine’s victory.
“Russia believed that missiles and terror could erase your nation from history. Instead, we witnessed something extraordinary: a nation that refuses to kneel, people who choose freedom over fear, dignity over submission, light over darkness,” Nausėda said in a video posted on the social media platform X.
“Your bravery inspires millions. Your resilience strengthens Europe. Your sacrifice reminds the world that freedom is never given – it must be defended,” he said.
“Dear Ukrainians, you are not alone. LTU stands with you in solidarity, in friendship, and in unwavering belief in your victory – a victory that will shape Europe’s future,” the president added.
Rimantas Sinkevičius, chairman of the Lithuanian parliament’s Committee on National Security and Defence, along with members of parliament Žygimantas Pavilionis and Laurynas Kasčiūnas, are visiting Kyiv at the invitation of Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of Ukraine’s parliament. They are scheduled to participate in meetings of the United for Ukraine international parliamentary network with Ukrainian officials.
In Paris, dance artist Agnietė Lisičkinaitė will stage a performance titled “These Are Not Just Numbers” on Tuesday near the Pont de l’Alma bridge, opposite the Russian Cultural and Spiritual Centre, to honour those killed in the war and those still fighting for Ukraine’s freedom.
Lisičkinaitė will invite viewers to raise their hands, pause and symbolically count the days of the war, which began four years ago.
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