© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

8/1/1991 - “Murder at Medininkai by Ina Navazelskis

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUTWRITER SCONSENT INSTITUTEOFCURRENTWORLDAFFAIRS ILN Turniki I Vilnius 32016 Lithuania August Mr Peter Bird Martin Executive Director INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 USA Murder Medininkai Dear Peter Virgis I other Lithuania almost kilometers Baltic coast ready first heard It Wednesday morning July We about breakfast items morning radio bulletin stopped The first explosion front headquarters Soviet Ministry Interior residential section Vilnius itself rather Every while there these strange explosions vicinity Soviet military buildings Vilnius No culprit found The blasts themselve hardly effect other knock windows state Soviet television program Vremya following evening dandy propaganda items implied terrorism Lithuania against innocent Soviet military Assumed least Lithuania military themselves explosions often happen tandem other event usually pleasant variety going somewhere There reason tradition should broken The following explosion LAST entire bulletin which puzzled I tried imagine which great determined shouldn FIRST story newscaster laconic voice The bodies eight Lithuanian icials discovered hours previously Medininkai customs Lithuanian Byellor ussian border All seriously wounded Ina Navazelskis journalist written extensively about East European Soviet affairs She author biographies Leonid Brezhnev Alexander Dubcek Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young adults outside United States write about international areas issues Endowed bythelateCharlesR Crane theInstituteisalsosupportedbycontributionsfromlike mindedindividualsand foundations ILN Laconic shock murders their possible significance began Both Mikhail Gorbachev George Bush informed about incident while according Lthuanian newspaper Novo Ogariov outside Moscow admiring nature Two emergency meetings Lithuanian Parliament Presidium other Council Ministers Wednesday Lithuania parliamentarians called extraordinary plenary session Thursday following Just hours after incident Vytautas Landsbergis unscheduled press conference This How should evaluate brutal against background entire starting events January The background constant attempts coercion through armed activities Lithuania These activities whose authors another armed units Soviet We behind crimes Soviet armed forces their maintained gangs stands highest leadership Soviet Union which cannot eternally pretend anything control situation demands example demands Lithuanian leadership withdraw OMON Lithuania territory withdraw other Soviet internal units Lithuanian Radio Television stations On Wednesday evening Virgis I headed ViIn Late I drove Medininkai kilometers southeast Vilnius I passed through pretty sparsely populated countryside rolling hills fragrance fields clover wafting windows I drove The ruins medieval castle three kilometers border underscored thought remote corner Lithuania unlikely place nerves between Lithuanian leadership Kremlin played daily basis It seems unlikely brutal execution The OMON special crack attached Soviet Ministry Interior formed originally combat growing crime Although first Moscow republics OMON units affiliated republic level interior ministries OMON Lithuania turned political In January split staying loyal Moscow others renamlng themselves Eagle pledging their loyalty Lithuanian republic Since January Moscow loyal OMON engaged scores overall purpose destabilizing political situation Lithuania frightening inhabitants See Addendum ILN But As customs posts along Lithuania kilometer border during Medininkai already target violence harassment disguised Soviet displeasure It still entirely clear perpretrators earlier attack Medininkai although Lithuanian officials believe either local Soviet OMON group stationed Lithuania Soviet paratroopers Often young attack customs posts although always armed partially uniform making difficult identify complete certainty Set heavily travelled M Minsk Byellorussia Medininkai stormed May group Its portable trailers bombed leaving ochre colored burnt hulks caved twisted metal These steel skeletons still stand front other_beside metal trailer where July murders place In general attacks Lithuanian customs posts usually involve beatings harassment humiliation guards customs officials there Not infrequently customs booths A typical incident recorded weekends along Lithuanian Latvian border According Lithuanian newspaper story published July midnight July heavily armed young drove Salocl customs forced three customs officials three ntional defense guards ground They stole their belts their money customs documents three radios Then poured gasoline around customs trailer alight An later another customs booth another nearby bombed At OMON troops donning their signature black bezets hiding their uniforms returned first They ridiculed officials Some victims managed member Lithuania civil defense force lucky He undressed forced while saying aloud Russian I Soviet Union As attackers sending greetings Riga Latvia OMON Such incidents become daily betwen serious recorded There casualties In May Gintaras Zagunis Lithuanian national civil defense official assasinated while maintaining watch night another further south Medininkai along Byel lorussian border His murder widely believed revenge Byellorussian militia captain Alexander Fias previously killed during shoot Lithuanian national civil defense guards ILN Still paled compared murders Medininkai As Vytautas Landsbergis noted weekly televised address Sunday August While raging storming around until OMON maybe accustomed certain views rules humiliated robbed alive Now other rules becoming clear resist might bullets zesist bullet In style NKVD Gestapo fascist method various colors shoot offers resistance That short happened Medininkai In early hours July Lithuanian officials between A M unknown person entered rectangular metal customs trailer forced customs officials three police officers floor their hands their heads Then close range matchbook lengths skull One police officer outside dragged trailer By driver Yaroslav wishing customs declarations forms stumbled bodies before A M already seriously wounded The seventh victim Friday later The people Lithuania fully recovered bloodshed January Soviet forces killed unarmed people renewed grief despair There unwritten about menacing incidents taken place Lithuania durling several months They always occur other significant political unfolding When Mikhail Gorbachev Nobel Peace Prize Oslo early June example Lithuania Parliament suddenly surrounding Soviet soldiers armed automatic rifles began demanding documents passersby And July Gorbachev London leaders seven industrialized nations OMON troops occupied central telephone exchange building cutting between cities republic outside world several hours Likewise murders place political vaccuum But there several politic events choose Which Was treaty signed Boris Yeltsin Vytautas Landsbergis earlier July Moscow where Russian republic recognized Lithuania sovereignty Did political forces loyal Soviet empire unhappy purposely dismantled their disapproval known unmistakable Or Bush Gorbachev summit meeting hours after murders leaders signed reaching nuclear reduction treaty several years making There conservative forces Soviet Union believe closer between US USSR greater ILN humiliation latter would Was their attempt But maybe politics little Maybe underground mafia criminal element whose ability stolen goods hampered draconian customs regulations Lithuanian government imposed order protect itself economically Or mafia conjunction Soviet officialdom which would cripple Lithuania economically flooding republic worthless paper rubles depeleting stocks concrete goods Lithuanian customs least crimp Or something banal wanting harass weary Lithuanian Parliament which wound before July finally adjourning neelong awaited vacation On July L ithuanian Minister Interior Marijonas Misiukonis unrelated reasons resigned later At scenarios being considered brutal action armed military group attack mafia murderers attempt escalate internal Lithuanian conflicts price blood continuation Fias story referring Byellorussian militiaman killed shoot May All usual suspects starting local Lithuanian branch OMON quick issue denials On Soviet state program Vremya evening OMON leader Lithuania Boleslov Makutinovich neither anywhere Medininkai night investigating mysterious explosion Vilnius headquarters Soviet Interior Ministry A later local Lithuanian KGB issued statement nothing And occupied Soviet Lithuanian television station Saturday night declaration Mykolas Burokeviius first secretary small Moscow loyal Communist Party He protested undeserved shadow suspicion being honorable Soviet military forces maintained culprits ought sought among Lithuanian fascist ultra nationalists The Soviet regional Baltic military command telegram Lithuanian leadership expressing outrage murders offering solve See Addendum ILN Still evidence which could identifying murderers scanty The Lithuanian procurator office recovered bullets saying probably lodged floor trailer The automatic weapons officials outdated Kalashnikovs which manufactured since The executioner newspaper speculated there least entered ustom cornfield across single highway apparently victim automobiles abandoning about kilometer Footprints tracks giving theory another vehicle waiting The officials agreed professionally Most fingers tentatively seemed point special Soviet KGB which responsible January murders Gorbachev appointment KGB investigate murders cynical snorts anything Lithuania It appointing investigate murdered chickens The eerie January tragedies echoed Vilnius As January auditorium Vilnius Sports Palace Last Friday evening Virgis I among thousands people waited several hours summer slowly coffins where relatives gathered almost uninterrupted three vigil Saturday which should survivor wedding official mourning As funeral procession police customs civil defense units donning newly designed uniforms wound through Vilnius streets lined hundreds people survivor Tomas ernas Vilnius hospital under heavy guard fighting Over weekend moved better facility Kaunas I00 kilometers At American Army surgeon specializing injuries Germany flown conduct delicate complicated peration might result ecovery News Sernas regained partial consciousness spread remained unconfirmed If might light assassins thereby claim rubles aside Lithuanian government information about murderers Work customs Medininkai resumed nights after murder When I arrived there Thursday evening customs officials waiting documents brought Vilnius could reopen operations But trailer where murders taken placed sealed phone pulled outside pavement where I customs official crouch Red gladiolas burgundy carnations stood customs trailer fresh drippings yellow candles ILN melted tarred I peered through square windows inside looked disarray Chairs overturned piled narrow desks The desks stood askew pushed walls On I transparent plastic black There empty coffee The Lithuanian procurator office officially sealed trailer customs officer briefly opened Although cleaned floor still brown color blood coagulated thickened sludge places where dipped In other places floor apparentl3 search bullets There blood stains anywhere hlgher centimeters floor investigating officials conclude shooting victims already floor But those Medininkai Thursday about spending night there after killins Although director Lithuanian customs Valerijonas Valickas assured tragedy streng thened resolve customs workers Lithuan those patriots resolve front muted When I asked three customs officials their wives thought about their presence Medininkai answered about My business other smiled weakly still unarmed customs officials clearly nervous refused their names One You haven never I never interview Another gesturing forest behind booth field front It thing where enemy Here There already ending Lithuania policy peaceful resistance In special parliamentary session called Thur National Cvil Defense__director Audrius Butkeviius intimated parliamentarians I think these terrorist increase They purely political purposes And ther_efore prepare situation weighing earlier values relating questions peaceful methods In meantime customs officials their guards little sitting ducks Before driving Medininkai I glanced behind There customs officers light brown shirts brown trousers There national defense guards olive green uniforms billy clubs attacked their belts There weapons As Lithuanian Ministry Interior murdered policemen armed their weapons confiscated assasins I recalled small sticker front customs trailer became death chamber Originally ntended irate passengers having their vehicles searched meaning The sticker Now scare Best wishes ADDENDUM Greetings OMON One eveni March Lithuania declaration independence Virgis I stopped gunpoint Soviet patrol lometer house It about P M chilly clear Sunday night We decided quick station kilometers avoid inevitable lines following beginning As drove through deserted forest surrouns Turniks government compoun where lille shadows trees framed sides potholed Ahead headlights vehicle approaching Suddenly diagonally across stopped blocking In seconds Virgis brakes I could vehicle outlines It yellow ribbon painted aroun middle There lettering ribbon I could With beams focussed windshie I darting shadows turned young about years camouflage uniforms Each carried automatic rifle direction One stopped front His right rifle cradled circular barrel He looked poised point directly should The other three Russian shouted Dokumenti Documents I handbag money passport drver cense New York international other identifying items After short station stuff along Virgis ID member Parliament ILN So showed M P ID soldiers satisfied Sitt nside I could soldier demand belligerent accented Lithuan What We OMON Then another soldie ready frisk Virgis asked Do pistols You understand situation In disbelief Virgis looked You joking The seldier mollified refrained search demanded instead inspect there weapons bombs Virgis opened trunk empty I opened weapons there either Yet another soldier information Virgis ID walkie talkie whoever other About fifteen minutes later As drove I turned quick clamber forest searching other hapless victim Virgis second member Lithuanian Parliament stopped searched Soviet patrol The first gotten easily His Povi lionis stopped Kaunas Vilnius January He gunpoint hands hours freezing weather alternatively ridiculed reaene eventually brought military headquarters presidi officer apologized returned papers The soldiers OMON later broken Soviet Union diplomatic immunity elected official No right search their detain occupant That evening after returned station attuned echoes forest surrounding government eompoun where Several times thought heard jeeps rumble tanks imagining either passing through roads forest NemenSins highway Although Turnikes tucked forest seemingly sight vulnerable location There entrances compound In addition kilometers Police Academy three story yellow brick structure stormed occupied January members Soviet loyal OMON As emerge forest every center building In first winter months would OMON seldiers standing front weapons faces covered stocking other makeshift masks As masks dsappeared armoured personnel carriers stayed block front buiding The soldiers built sandbags Once I drove there spontaneously hoping catch OMON leader Makutinovich interview young automatic rifle trained whole I spoke Didn interview ILN Most OMON shenanigans incident Given their headquarters based close OMON become familiar neighborhood My upstairs neighbor become regular thing husband often stopped A computer specialist Parliament often works until mornin Likewise unusual OMON troops screech In shopping local stores Another neighbor recently grocery store outside compound where course armed horsing around playing catch their Kalashnikovs loaded front startled grannies Nice LATVIA LITHUANIA KALININGRAD REGION USSR Vilnius Medininkai BYELLORUSSIA POLAND ILN S C E NES AT MED NINKAI LI UANI A July Inside portable customs trailer The wounded officials already removed None victims identified these photographs taken photographers Lithuanian agency ELTA I Antanas usteikis judging uniform ILN SCENES AT_ MEDIN KA LITHUANIA July Judging uniform slight build haircut I think Algimantas Juozakaso The easily identifiable victim Mindaugas Balavakas Officials victim watch stopped Could Balavaka could exact murders THE VICT M BALAVAKAS Age Single Member special police Eagle attached Lithuanian Ministry Interior started Al6ima J OZAKAS Age Single ember special police Eagle attached Lithuanian inistry Interior started April total three months THE VICTIS Juozas JANONIS Age Married One Highway patrol officer started Lithuanian Ministry Interior A lgird ZLAUSKAS Age Married No children Highway patrol officer started Lithuanian inistry Interior preparing documents retirement The oldest victim ILN TE VICTIMS Antanas USTEIKIS Age Married One daughter One started customs officer December Stanislovas ORLAVICIUS Age Married Two daughters Two started officer February THE VICTIMS RiSardas RABAVICIUS Age Single started customs officer July release compul service Soviet One originally survived Rabaviius later Friday August The youngest victim The scene Nedininkai customs Lithuania Byellorussian border between ILN THE WAKE The murdered policemen customs officers state auditorium Sports Palace Thursday August I Saturday morning August Vytautas Landsbergis stands right The family murdered policeman indaugas Balavakas mourn their oblivie hundreds mourners ILN THE FUNERAL August Mourners Vilnius streets funeral cortege heads towards Vilnius Cathedral Funeral Medininkai victims Vilnius Cathedral THE CEMETERY Burial Antakalnis cemetery Saturday afternoon August The seven policemen customs officials murdered edininkai buried alongside victims January The where buried known where innocent children ILN THE EDININKAI POST Early August Received Hanover