Lithuanian Liberty Army

Lithuanian Liberty Army
Lietuvos laisvės armija (LLA)
Brassard used by the LLA's Vanagai sector
Active	13 December 1941 – 17 April 1946
Allegiance	Lithuania
Size	c. 10,000 (summer 1944)
Commanders
Founder and first commander	Kazys Veverskis

The Lithuanian Liberty Army (sometimes also named as Lithuanian Freedom Army) (Lithuanian: Lietuvos laisvės armija or LLA) was a Lithuanian underground military organization established by Kazys Veverskis [lt] (codename Senis), a Vilnius University Law Faculty student, on December 13, 1941. Its goal were to re-establish independent Lithuania via political and military means.

It was part of the anti-Nazi resistance during the German occupation of Lithuania during World War II as it opposed German policies, but did not begin armed resistance. The armed struggle began in mid-1944 when Red Army reached the Lithuanian borders after the Minsk offensive.

The LLA became the first wave of the Lithuanian partisans, armed anti-Soviet guerrilla fighters. It attempted to become the central command of the armed struggle. However, the organization was liquidated by the Soviet security forces (NKVD and KGB) by April 1946.^[1] The organization's remnants were absorbed by other partisans. The guerrilla war continued until 1953.