January Events Lithuanian: Sausio įvykiai | |||||||
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Part of the Revolutions of 1989, the Singing Revolution, and the Dissolution of the Soviet Union | |||||||
A man with a Lithuanian flag in front of a Soviet tank, 13 January 1991 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
National Salvation Committee of the Lithuanian SSR | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Vytautas Landsbergis Albertas Šimėnas (AWOL) Gediminas Vagnorius Audrius Butkevičius |
Mikhail Gorbachev Vladislav Achalov Mykolas Burokevičius | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
14 civilians killed 1 civilian died due to heart attack 702 injured | 1 KGB soldier (friendly fire) |
The January Events (Lithuanian: Sausio įvykiai) were a series of violent confrontations between the civilian population of Lithuania, supporting independence, and the Soviet Armed Forces. The events took place between 11 and 13 January 1991, after the restoration of independence by Lithuania. As a result of the Soviet military actions,[2][3] 14 civilians were killed and over 140 were injured.[4] The 13th of January was the most violent day of the month in Lithuania. The events were primarily centered in the capital city Vilnius, but Soviet military activity and confrontations also occurred elsewhere in the country, including Alytus, Šiauliai, Varėna and Kaunas.[citation needed]
January 13th is the Day of the Defenders of Freedom (Lithuanian: Laisvės Gynėjų Diena) in Lithuania and it is officially observed as a commemorative day.[5]