Defendant in Medininkai massacre case to be kept in custody in Lithuania till end of October

As the BNS informes the former militiaman of Riga’s Special Purpose Police Squad (OMON) under the Soviet Union’s Interior Ministry will remain in custody in Lithuania until the end of October on suspicions of playing a part in the Medininkai checkpoint massacre.

Sigita Vainauskaite, a Vilnius Regional Court judge, made this ruling on July 27.

This ruling can be appealed to Lithuania’s Court of Appeals.

The decision to extend by three months Mikhailov’s custody term was requested by prosecutor Rolandas Stankevicius, who argued that the accused, who may have committed a felony, is well connected abroad, especially in Russia, and can be expected to try escaping justice.

The judge in Monday’s session also dismissed the former OMON hitman’s request that she resigns from the case over claims of her illegitimate actions.

Vainauskiene ruled that Mikhailov’s accusations have already been covered and answered in previous court hearings.

The defendant felt Vainauskiene shouldn’t be on the panel of judges hearing his case, because of her repeated rulings against his release regardless of protracted court proceedings, which Mikhailov’s defence argues as being overdue. He moreover argued that the judge gave an interview to a journalist working for an Internet news portal before making her ruling and thus violating rules of confidentiality.

Vainauskiene earlier ruled on April 28 to extend Mikhailov’s term of custody for three months. The court then also refused to dismiss the case on the grounds of prescription and release Mikhailov, a decision that was appealed, but also dismissed by the Court of Appeals.

This hasn’t been the first attempt to remove this judge from hearing the Medininkai case. Mikahilov in the end of June tried and failed to get Vainauskiene and Viktoras Dovidaitis removed from the panel of judges.

Charges have been brought against Mikhailov for partaking on July 31 of 1991 in the killing of Lithuanian officers on duty in the Medininkai border control post.

Mikhailov, 40-year-old citizen of Latvia, has for a long time been the only suspect in the said case to be officially charged with suspicion of having partaken in the murder of seven Lithuanian officers. Lithuanian prosecutors in early April also confirmed that official charges have been brought against Alexander Ryzhov who had been in custody in Russia.

Prosecutors say that an investigation with regard to other suspects, also former OMON members – unit chief Cheslav Mlynik and militiamen Andrey Laktyonov and Ryzhov – have been separated and are in process.

On the morning of July 31 1991, Soviet militiamen murdered border guards Antanas Musteikis, Stanislovas Orlavicius, Aras SWAT unit officers Algimantas Juozakas and Mindaugas Balavakas, road police employees Juozas Janonis and Algirdas Kazlauskas with shots to the head.

Police officer Ricardas Rabavicius, who experienced heavy injuries during the attack, died in the hospital Aug. 2. The sole officer who survived the attack was Tomas Sernas, who also experienced heavy injuries at the time of the attack.

Evidence accumulated during the pre-trial investigation leads prosecution to suspect Soviet Union OMON hitmen as being responsible for the crime.

Source BNS

Lithuania is Among Top Five Enemies of Russia

Lithuania is among the top five enemies of Russia. This was revealed by a recent public opinion poll in Russia. One can say that the notion of Lithuania as an enemy was inculcated into the heads of common Russians by the Kremlin’s propaganda. This is true, but it does not change the essence of the issue. Unlike in 1990-1991, today Lithuania would not be able to count on moral support from Russians, which was one of the reasons why we were successful in our quest for independence. Later, when we were negotiating over the withdrawal of Russian troops from Lithuania, favourable opinion about us among common Russians was also a very important factor.

Even ten years later, when we were trying to join NATO, one of the arguments our politicians and diplomats used in the talks with the Western partners was a poll that showed the majority of Russians did not object to our membership in the alliance. The poll also said that our membership in the alliance would not harm Russia’s relations with NATO, something Moscow’s politicians were trying to claim. Therefore, Russian politicians drew certain conclusions and started fixing the mistake of their propaganda, which at that time still counter-positioned the “good” Lithuania against the “bad” Latvia and Estonia.

Thanks to the efforts by the Kremlin’s propaganda masters, in 2004-2005 Vilnius got involved in a fierce verbal war against Moscow. The war lasted till 2008 and did not produce anything good for Lithuania: The Druzhba [friendship] oil pipeline was not reopened, the talks over compensation for the occupation damages did not commence, the Medininkai murderers were not extradited. The only thing we achieved was the loss of allies in the EU.

Russia, meanwhile, gained a strong argument in the discussions with the EU and NATO. From dawn till dusk the EU and NATO were told: “Did we not tell you that by accepting those intrigue-loving Baltic states, you would gain a source of constant disagreements with Russia?”

In 2004-2005, Russians’ opinion about the Baltic States, Poland, Ukraine, and Georgia has started to get worse. This showed that harming the ties with the closest neighbours in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union was a deliberate and pre-planned policy of Moscow.

A fruit of this policy could be observed in May 2007, when during rioting by Russian-speakers in Tallinn hundreds of thousands of Russians, without having been urged by anyone, got involved in cyber attacks against Estonian websites. A year later, we witnessed another result of this policy in Georgia. That time, as the Russian tanks were rolling towards the neighbouring country, not only Vladimir Putin, but also millions of Russians, overcome by chauvinistic orgasm, were demanding to hang Mikhail Saakashvili “by his balls.”

If the Kremlin started some sort of a political or economic pressure campaign against Lithuania, the support from Russian citizens would be just as enthusiastic.

Source BBC Monitoring

Lithuania not going to back down on fundamental issues over EU-Russia talks – Lithuanian ForMin

The BNS reported that, as Lithuanian diplomats spoke up about attempts launched by some countries to revise agreements reached by four foreign ministers in Vilnius over the negotiations mandate on the European Union (EU) – Russia Strategic Partnership Agreement, Foreign Minister Vaitiekunas repeated that Lithuania is not going to back down on fundamental issues.

Lithuania blocked the commencement of talks with Russia, proposing to include four declarations in the negotiations mandate, i.e. the issue of cut-off oil supply via the Druzhba pipeline, the necessity to deal with frozen conflicts in Georgia and Moldova, cooperation in solving occurrences of Jan. 13th and the Medininkai massacre as well as support for exiled persons, who are returning to the Baltic States.

Foreign ministers of Lithuania, Sweden, Poland and current EU presidency holder Slovenia, decided in a meeting in Vilnius on May 11 to include issues brought up by Lithuania to be included in talks with Russia, however this agreement was not endorsed by ambassadors of EU member states in a meeting Tuesday. Ambassadors plan to continue discussions next week.

A Lithuanian diplomat announced this information to BNS May 14 that;”We eliminate such attempts. If they will continue, the mandate might not be approved by May 26 (GAERC)”.

Following a meeting with Lithuanian President Adamkus on 14 May, Vaitiekunas told the press of having informed the Head-of-State of receiving a few proposals by various countries with regards to the negotiations mandate, and they are currently being considered.

“A wide arsenal of different versions of what shape our answers might take is available, and they are currently being coordinated through diplomatic channels, however, when it comes to the main, primary, fundamental issues of Lithuania’s interests, we are not going to back down. (…) We are risking European solidarity”, the foreign minister asserted.

According to the BNS he also noted that the new proposals are most concerned with the issue of frozen conflicts and added that he can reveal neither who is making the proposals, nor what matter they concern.

“In general terms, I am telling you that yes, the main question under revision, is that of frozen conflicts, a declaration on frozen conflicts. Countries stand on different grounds when it comes to geographical and geopolitical positions. Take the United Kingdom, Spain, France – their interests are different and we are simply defending our interests by assuming this position here and now. The EU will have to go a long way in order to learn how to reflect interests unanimously and speak with one voice”, Vaitiekunas explained, noting that an acceptable compromise will be sought out on the issue.

The BNS writes that the minister also noted that he cannot yet reveal what form Lithuania’s demands should take on in the mandate, and in what phrasing should it appear. The minister said that this would mean having to reveal stances on the negotiations mandate and would therefore make them less efficient.

Source BNS

Lithuanian diplomacy achieved a victory over the EU-Russia Partnership Agreement

Lithuania was the sole of 27 EU member states, represented in the European Union’s (EU) General Affairs and External Relations Council’s (GAERC) session in Luxembourg last week to dissent to the proposal to begin talks with Russia over the new partnership agreement.

The countries decided that EU-presidency holder Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Dimitri Rupel arrived to Vilnius to further harmonize stances on the issue.  Amongst those who arrived to Vilnius were the Swedish and Polish Ministers of Foreign affairs.  However, another issue for the Lithuanians was of another importance, expression of support to Georgia.  The plan was that all ministers should visit Tbilisi on Monday and show their support to Georgia.

However, the Lithuanian diplomats had have heard a warning from Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitri Rupel that he would accompany his Lithuanian, Polish and Swedish colleagues to Georgia only if Lithuania abandoned its proposals to the mandate of strategic talks between the European Union and Russia.  An anonymous Lithuanian diplomat expressed his disappointment by saying “How can one propose such exchange? It is incomprehensible whether the proposal from the European Union’s presiding country Slovenia indicates the entire EU’s stance on Georgia or is it a lame Slovenian proposal aimed at forcing Lithuania to give up its legitimate requirements in the discussion of the negotiating position of the EU-Russian strategic partnership agreement”.

However, after discussion in the Stikliai hotel the Lithuanians claimed that the EU had agreed with all Lithuanian propositions with some amendments.  The Lithuanian FM stated that the EU solidarity exists not only in declarations but also in reality.  Still he remained that the positions will have to be agreed with the other 23 Member States.  The Slovenian MF noted in the press conference that: ‘All Europeans States and the EU Members understand Lithuanian position.  And I can easy tell that I understand the Lithuanian concerns’.  So, what are those demands?

As Lietuvos Rytas daily wrote last week, Lithuania decided not to approve the mandate for the EU-Russia negotiations until this mandate reflects Lithuania’s interests. This was the first time Lithuania has dared to fight for its interests in the EU with such fervour.

Vilnius demands to add to the energy declaration Russia’s commitment to observe the requirements provided for in the Energy Charter Agreement.

Moreover, Lithuania wanted the EU negotiations mandate to include the point that Russia should cooperate more actively in the field of renewing delivery of crude oil via the Friendship (Druzhba) Pipeline. This pipeline was closed in 2006 for “political repairs.”

As the Lithuanian Minister of Foreign affairs noted “Druzhba was cut off without an explanation. (…) We are worried that Russia is creating a precedent. Energy security and creating a precedent are issues of interest to the EU. This is not a bipartite issue. And we believe that the question of a precedent, and of how far one can go in not cooperating with one EU state is important to the entire EU as well. We have an alternative for Druzhba, but not one for gas”.

Lithuania also noted that Russia’s attitude toward its neighbours is related to the security of Lithuania and the entire EU. This is why Lithuania proposes a declaration on Georgia and Moldova.

Moreover, Lithuania would like to have a declaration on legal cooperation, which should promote constructive cooperation in the investigations of the 13 January 1991 events in Vilnius and the 31 July 1991 massacre in Medininkai, as well as of the disappearance of EU citizens in Russia.  There is also an ongoing case of disappearance of Lithuanian businessmen Mr Jucys in Kaliningrad a year ago.

Lithuanian is also seeking to add an additional declaration to the negotiations mandate to compensate for the damages incurred by the persons deported from the occupied Baltic countries. Ensuring such support to the deported persons was one of the international commitments Russia undertook when it joined the Council of Europe.

Lithuania does not impose demands on Russia. It urges the EU to protect Lithuania’s interests, the same way it protects the interests of other EU members.  Lithuania is not trying to change Russia, it is impossible, it simply tries to change the EU attitude towards Russia, in sake of the EU.

The another point is that Lithuania is a Member State, the same as Germany, France, Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Poland or Ireland who are also defending their interests by blocking decision making.  However, Lithuania is standing not only for the ‘meet’ as the Poles did, but for the values of justice.

Lets see how it will go.

Suspect in Medininkai Massacre case arrested for 3 months

This blog wrote about Medininkai Massacre committed by then Riga OMON Special Purpose Police Squad of Russia against the unarmed Lithuanian border guards in 1991.  All suspects of this crime are still at large.  Majority of them are under protection of the Russian Federation.

However, recently the Latvian authorities arrested one of the suspects who was living in Latvia. As the BNS writes the suspect in this 17 year-old case concerning the killing of seven Lithuanian officers and injuring of one, was detained by Latvian law-enforcement officers on Novvember 28 of last year, based on the European warrant for his arrest issued by Lithuania.

The BNS informed that Latvia’s Supreme Court rejected Mikhailov’s (Nikulin) request to not be extradited to Lithuania. He was under the witness security program in Latvia for having helped Latvian officers solve crimes committed in the country’s territory, and was therefore allowed to change his last name. The suspect will be under his new surname in the case being investigated in the Prosecutor General’s Office in Lithuania.The 40-year-old suspect was extradited to Lithuania by Latvia on January 28.

The suspect’s interrogation lasted three hours. The detainee was brought over to the prosecutor’s office by masked and armed Lithuanian SWAT team Aras officers.

The prosecutor hasn’t revealed whether Mikhailov plead guilty with regards to the suspicions presented against him. It is however known that the suspect does not deny having been in Lithuania in July of 1991.The BNS wrote that the Vilnius’ Second District Court set a three month arrest period for the ex-member of OMON, who is a suspect in eastern Lithuanian border check-point murder case.

The prosecutor presented suspicions to Konstantin Mikhailov (Nikulin) for first-degree murder of two or more persons in connection with their duties, i.e. for participating in the massacre at Medininkai check-point.

So far this is the only suspect that the Lithuanian law enforcers have succeeded to find and officially indict.

Detained suspect in Lithuanian murder case to be given over to Vilnius from Riga

As the BNS noted a suspect in Medininkai border checkpoint murder case, Konstantin Nikulin, will be extradited to Lithuania.

This decision was made by Latvia’s Supreme Court, which dismissed Nikulin’s request to not be extradited to Lithuania.

Nimkulin should be given over to Lithuanian law enforcement over a period of three weeks.

As the BNS informed and this blog remained the suspect was detained by Latvian law-enforcement officers on Nov. 28 of last year, based on the European warrant for his arrest issued by Lithuania.

Latvia’s Prosecutor General’s Office had agreed to extradite the detained former OMON Special Purpose Police Squad hit man and one of the suspects in a case of manslaughter in Medininkai border checkpoint of eastern Lithuania, 40-year-old Konstantin Nikulin.

The BNS writes that the suspect in this 17 year-old case concerning the killing of seven Lithuanian officers and injuring of one, had appealed to Latvia’s Supreme Court regarding the decision to extradite him to Lithuania, therefore he remained in Latvia until the court reached its final verdict.

Nikulin, together with three other suspects, also ex-members of OMON – Aleksandr Ryzhov, Andrej Laktionov and Ceslav Mlynik – was wanted as suspect in a murder case.

The latter three suspects are Russian citizens, who reside there and are as of yet not accessible to Lithuania’s law enforcers.

After Latvia extradites Nikulin to Lithuania, the prosecution process can be started in Lithuania. According to Lithuania’s legislation, Nikulin will face life in prison for first-degree murder of more than two persons.

The Prosecutor General’s Office has been investigating one of the cruellest crimes committed in Lithuania — the massacre of the Medininkai checkpoint staff — for 17 years.

The BNS reminds that the pre-trial investigation has established that the first 7 police and customs officers of the independent Lithuania were killed and the sole survivor Tomas Šernas was grievously wounded as a result of doing their duty.

Stationed on duty on July 31, 1991, the men died of headshots from Kalashnikov assault rifles.  The data collected in the process of the pre-trial investigation allow the prosecutors to suspect that hit men of the former Soviet Union’s militia special operations unit OMON did the crime from Riga, who were visiting the OMON base in Vilnius on July 30, 1991.

Another group of militia from Riga’s OMON set off an explosive device at the headquarters of the 42nd division of the Soviet Union on L.Sapiegos Street in Vilnius on the very same night.

At the time of the investigation, the larger part of the rifles seized from the victims have been found.

The investigation of the manslaughter at Medininkai checkpoint is aggravated by the fact that the suspects and a lot of important witnesses reside in Russia.

The seven officers were believed to have been killed in Medininkai to cause confusion at the customs of the country that had just declared its independence. At that time, OMON hit men would quite often assault checkpoints and beat up officers stationed there.

Lithuanians were forced to act peacefully by the political circumstances of the time, and the culprits did not receive an adequate response.

There is available information that Medininkai check-point was chosen for the uncanny crime with personal revenge motives.

The BNS reminds that on the morning of July 31st of 1991, killers, who as of yet haven’t been tried, murdered border guards Antanas Musteikis, Stanislovas Orlavičius, Aras SWAT unit officers Algimantas Juozakas and Mindaugas Balavakas, road police employees Juozas Janonis and Algirdas Kazlauskas with shots to the head.

Police officer who experienced heavy injuries during the attack, Ricardas Rabavičius, died in the hospital Aug. 2nd. The sole officer who survived the attack was Tomas Šernas, who also experienced heavy injuries at the time of the attack.

Suspect in preeminent murder case of Lithuanian officers detained in Latvia

As the BNS reported the Latvian Prosecutor General’s Office agreed to extradite Konstantin Nikulin, 40, former OMON Special Purpose Police Squad hit man and one of the suspects in a case of manslaughter in Medininkai border checkpoint of eastern Lithuania.

The suspect in this 17 year-old case concerning the killing of seven Lithuanian officers and injuring of one, has appealed to Latvia’s Supreme Court regarding the decision to extradite him to Lithuania, therefore he is to remain in Latvia until the court reaches its final verdict.

As the BNS announced the Chief-Prosecutor of Lithuania’s Prosecutor General’s Office Department of Organized Crime and Corruption, Algimantas Kliunka, announced this information in a press conference Thursday. Officers working in his department are investigating this resonant case.Latvian law-enforcement officers detained the suspect on Nov. 28 of last year, based on the European warrant for his arrest issued by Lithuania.

“Nikulin was member of the Special Purpose Police Squad’s group Delta-1. We suspect that members of this group are responsible for the murder of seven officers and attempted murder of one more”, Prosecutor Kliunka.

Nikulin was one of the top 16 most wanted individuals by Lithuanian police.

Nikulin, together with three other suspects, also ex-members of OMON – Aleksandr Ryzhov, Andrej Laktionov and Ceslav Mlynik – was wanted as suspect in a murder case.

The latter three suspects are Russian citizens, who reside there and are as of yet not accessible to Lithuania’s law enforcers.

He also noted that the prosecutor’s office is collaborating with secret informants and “leakage of some details could be potentially dangerous”.

Should Latvia extradite Nikulin to Lithuania, the prosecution process can be started in Lithuania. According to Lithuania’s legislation, Nikulin would face life in prison for first-degree murder of more than two persons.

The Prosecutor General’s Office has been investigating one of the cruelest crimes committed in Lithuania — the massacre of the Medininkai checkpoint staff — for 17 years.As the BNS further informs the suspects are expected to face the trial someday and will not evade the prosecution due to limitation, as the limitation period becomes suspended when suspects are hiding from pre-trial investigation.

The pre-trial investigation has established that the first 7 police and customs officers of the independent Lithuania were killed and the sole survivor Tomas Sernas was grievously wounded as a result of doing their duty. Stationed on duty on July 31, 1991, the men died of headshots from Kalashnikov assault rifles.

The data collected in the process of the pre-trial investigation allow the prosecutors to suspect that the crime was done by hit men of the former Soviet Union’s militia special operations unit OMON from Riga, who were visiting the OMON base in Vilnius on July 30, 1991. Another group of militia from Riga’s OMON set off an explosive device at the headquarters of the 42nd division of the Soviet Union on L.Sapiegos Street in Vilnius on the very same night.

The BNS remeinded that the investigation of the manslaughter at the Medininkai checkpoint is aggravated by the fact that the suspects and a lot of important witnesses reside in Russia.

The seven officers are believed to have been killed in Medininkai to cause confusion at the customs of the country that had just declared its independence. At that time, OMON hitmen would quite often assault checkpoints and beat up officers stationed there.

Lithuanians were forced to act peacefully by the political circumstances of the time, and the culprits did not receive an adequate response.

There is available information that Medininkai check-point was chosen for the uncanny crime with personal revenge motives.

Lugovoy = Medininkai massacre, when the justice prevail?

Exactly 16 years ago, in 1991, July 31, the Medininkai massacre in Lithuania took place.  This atrocity was conducted by the Soviet OMON (garrisoned at Riga) against the Lithuanian customs post at the Medininkai border crossing point near the Vilnius.  It is thought that the attack took place at 4 am because one of the victims clock stopped at this hour.

Seven officers – were shot and killed. Customs Officer Tomas Šernas was severely wounded and became disabled, later to become a pastor. The unarmed officers were shot in the head, execution style.   Those killed were buried in the Antakalnis Cemetery. The post was turned into a memorial.

Many of the men suspected by the Lithuanian government as being responsible for these incidents are now citizens of Russia. The Lithuanian government continues to demand that the persons suspected in these incidents should be interrogated and tried in Lithuania if necessary, while Russia refuses to legally cooperate motivating that such actions would violate their constitution.  Hence, not only Lugavoy is protected by the Russian State.

President of Lithuania Adamkus regretted that Lithuania’s justice and retribution cannot yet extend to the criminals hiding in the neighbouring countries in the East.“They are still using something that is not theirs — freedom. Yet today we know the names of the killers, know what they did then — sixteen years ago in Medininkai post at the break of dawn, know where they live now,” the president stressed.

As the only survivor Tomas Šernas told to a newspaper today:  ’Perhaps it is not crucial if the guilty will ever be sentenced, I am not seeking revenge.  I want us to understand what actually happened there.  At the moment the case is regarded as the criminal offence – someone attacked somebody and killed.

All interpretation of the event is wrong. In reality a military formation in a cold blood massacred those who did not resist.  This should be regarded as a war criminal activity.  We should name the January 13 events to a military aggression and Medininkai tragedy to a massacre, a war criminal activity against a young state.  If we will not pay enough attention to that now, we will loose very badly sometime in the future.’