January Events

January Events
Lithuanian: Sausio įvykiai
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
Date11–13 January 1991
Location
Result

Lithuanian victory

  • Soviet forces withdraw from the cities
  • Lithuanian statehood preserved
Belligerents

 Lithuania

 Soviet Union

Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic National Salvation Committee of the Lithuanian SSR
Commanders and leaders
Lithuania Vytautas Landsbergis
Lithuania Albertas Šimėnas  (AWOL)
Lithuania Gediminas Vagnorius
Lithuania Audrius Butkevičius
Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev
Soviet Union Vladislav Achalov
Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic 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]

  1. ^ a b Lithuanians celebrate 20th Anniversary assault of the Vilnius television tower by the Soviet Troops. Ukrayinska Pravda. 13 January 2011
  2. ^ "The January bloodbath in Lithuania 25 years on". Deutsche Welle. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  3. ^ Tony Wesolowsky (12 January 2021). "Thirty Years After Soviet Crackdown In Lithuania, Kremlin Accused Of Rewriting History". Radio Free Europe.
  4. ^ "On This Day 13 January, 1991: Bloodshed at Lithuanian TV station". BBC News. 13 January 1991. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  5. ^ "Lietuvos Respublikos atmintinų dienų įstatymas". Office of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. 7 July 1997. Retrieved 8 May 2021.