81 Soviet Soldiers' Remains Exhumed in Lithuania
In the Lithuanian city of Veveikis, the remains of 81 Soviet soldiers from World War II were exhumed from a central cemetery site, following archaeological work and a decision by Lithuania's Commission on De-Sovietization. The remains were transferred to Vilnius University for anthropological study before being reburied at a Orthodox cemetery.
Consensus
- The remains of 81 Soviet soldiers who died during World War II were exhumed in the Lithuanian city of Veveikis.
- The exhumation was conducted as part of archaeological work at a cemetery in the city center.
- The remains were located near the Church of St. Anne.
- The exhumation followed a decision by Lithuania's Commission on De-Sovetization.
- The remains were transferred to the Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Anthropology at Vilnius University for anthropological analysis.
- After the analysis, the remains are to be reburied at a Russian Orthodox cemetery in Veveikis.
- The site previously had a monument to Soviet soldiers and a burning eternal flame.
Points of divergence
- The exhumation was carried out at the request of Lithuania's Commission on De-Sovietization, and work began in July. — vm
- The decision to relocate the remains was made based on a recommendation from the Commission on De-Sovietization, which deemed the burial site as promoting totalitarian regimes, under a law effective since May 2023. — kommerzant
- The Lithuanian parliament (Seimas) approved amendments to laws in June 2024 allowing the relocation of Soviet soldiers' graves if they are deemed to promote totalitarian or authoritarian regimes. — vedomosti
- The initiative for the exhumation came from Arūnas Bubnys, director of Lithuania's Center for Genocide and Resistance Research, who had been advocating for it since late 2024, and was supported by the Commission on De-Sovietization. — vesti
- A law in Slovakia, effective from May 2026, imposes criminal liability for desecrating monuments from World War II. — vesti
Coverage (4 sources)
- Remains of 81 Soviet soldier exhumed at cemetery in Lithuanian city of Veivirys — Вечерняя Москва
- In Lithuania, the remains of 81 Soviet soldiers were exhumed — Коммерсантъ
- In Lithuanian Veivirze, remains of 81 Soviet soldiers were exhumed — Ведомости
- In Lithuania, remains of Soviet soldiers were exhumed under the guise of research — Вести