Pro-Soviet Woman Seen Near Officials at Lithuanian Prime Minister's Funeral

A woman expressing strong pro-Soviet and pro-Putin views was observed near Lithuanian state leaders during the funeral of Kazimiera Prunskienė, the nation's first prime minister. The funeral took place at Antakalnis Cemetery in Vilnius.

The incident gained attention after a video, reportedly filmed on August 6, circulated on social media. In the video, the woman is heard making inflammatory remarks in Russian on a bus. She expressed nostalgia for the Soviet Union, calling it the "best country in the world," and stated she would "exile the Lithuanian nation to Siberia."

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If it were the Soviet Union – I would show you (...). It's a pity the Soviet Union is gone, it was the best country in the world; (...) I would exile you, to Siberia (I would exile) the Lithuanian nation. Idiots, (...) only idiots live (...). Fought for Russia, for the Russian people (...). V. Putin is power.

Online reactions to the video were divided. Some commenters expressed outrage and called for legal action against the woman for inciting hatred and promoting genocide. Others criticized the video's author for filming and potentially provoking someone who might be mentally unwell. However, sharp-eyed observers noted the woman's proximity to high-ranking officials, including the Speaker of the Seimas, the Prime Minister, and members of the European Parliament and Seimas.

The State Security Department (VAT) confirmed that the woman was identified. However, they stated that her behavior did not exhibit signs of "destructive behavior" or indicate a direct threat to the safety of the protected individuals. As the funeral was a public event, access was not restricted, and security measures were in place to ensure the safety of officials without imposing a special security regime.

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The person was identified. No indications of destructive behavior or other signs were observed in the person's conduct that would allow for a reasonable assessment of the situation as posing a direct threat to the safety of protected persons, therefore there was no basis to take appropriate measures.