„It is anticipated that pro-Kremlin individuals may gather for the May 9 commemoration; they are likely to attempt to display prohibited symbols of the communist regime, publicly justify the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine, disrupt the solemnity of the event with music from Soviet military parades, and through various other forms of expression (i.e., posters, clothing) to protest the removal of Soviet soldiers’ monuments and Lithuania’s legally mandated decision to remove any totalitarian legacy from public spaces,“ – the department announced on Friday on the social network Facebook.
„It should be noted that playing Soviet military marches loudly in cemeteries is inappropriate for honouring the memory of loved ones in a sacred space intended for contemplation. The open and loud playing of Soviet parade and march music in cemeteries can cause social tensions and fuel conflicts and disagreements based on ideology and values,“ the VSD stated.
If you notice or receive information about provocations or other threats to national security related to Victory Day celebrations organised in Lithuania, you are urged to report them to the VSD or the police.
Susiję straipsniai
In Russia and Russian communities, Victory Day over Nazi Germany is commemorated on May 9. Meanwhile, Europe commemorates the end of World War II a day earlier, on May 8.
To mark this day, some members of the Russian community in Lithuania traditionally visit the Antakalnis Cemetery in the capital to pay their respects to World War II veterans buried there who fought on the side of the Soviet Union.