Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts

Assaults on border posts
Part of Singing Revolution, January Events (Lithuania), and Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Memorial customs wagon in a transparent enclosure in Medininkai, where seven Lithuanian officers were killed
Date 17 December 1990 – 22 August 1991 Location Lithuania Result Lithuanian statehood preserved
Belligerents
Lithuania State Border Guard Service	Soviet Union OMON
Casualties and losses
8 killed 60 injured	1 killed

Several Soviet OMON assaults on Lithuanian border posts occurred after Lithuania declared its independence from the Soviet Union on 11 March 1990. As a Soviet republic, the Lithuanian SSR did not have a state border with customs or checkpoints. The newly declared Republic of Lithuania began establishing the State Border Guard Service, before it was internationally recognized on 27 August 1991 by the states of the European Community.^[1] These posts also became a symbol of its struggle for independence.^[2] The Soviet government viewed the customs posts as illegal and sent the OMON (Special Purpose Police Unit) troops to harass the posts, especially those along the eastern border with Byelorussian SSR. The unarmed^[3] customs officers and armed policemen were intimidated, beaten or killed, their cars were stolen or bombed, the posts were burned down or wrecked, and work of the checkpoints was otherwise disrupted.^[4] Two of the incidents resulted in the deaths of a total of eight Lithuanian citizens. In total, about 60 officers were attacked and injured,^[5] and 23 border posts were burned or destroyed.^[6]