Lithuanians rallied on Wednesday evening supporting protesters in Ukraine after clashes there claimed at least 26 lives, saying they see parallels to a bloody Soviet paratroopers attack in Lithuania, two decades ago.
Lithuanians rallied on Wednesday evening supporting protesters in Ukraine after clashes there claimed at least 26 lives, saying they see parallels to a bloody Soviet paratroopers attack in Lithuania, two decades ago.
Around 1,000 people waved flags around bonfires in front of the Parliament building in the Vilnius Independence Squire, as they watched a live broadcast from the Kiev's Independence Square, on a huge screen.
The images remind many here of the 1991 Soviet paratroopers attack on Lithuania's independence movement, in which 14 civilians we killed and several hundred injured.
Lithuania announced mourning on Thursday, to honor the victims of the clashes between protesters and police that erupted in Maidan.
During its EU presidency last year, Lithuania played a key role in efforts to seal an EU association agreement with Ukraine.
Yanukovych rejected the agreement at the Vilnius Summit in November, in favour of an aid deal with Russia, sparking the ongoing civil unrest.
SHOTLIST
Soundbite (Lithuanian)
VASILIJ KAPKAN, representative of the Ukrainian community in Lithuania:
We are all very deeply concerned, but Ukrainians believe in their nation’s wisdom, and we do thank people around the world, especially Lithuanians, who understand how painful it’s to us.
Soundbite (Lithuanian)
TADAS LANGAITIS, one of the initiators of the demonstration:
Bonfires are burning here, as they were burning on 13 January 1991, just as they are burning today in Ukraine. And we call people to donate money through charity portal www.aukok.lt
Soundbite (Lithuanian), a woman:
It is very sad. People simply fight for their freedom. We have already won our freedom, but they still have to suffer.
