As Lithuania marked Freedom Defenders’ Day on January 13, LRT hosted the yearly fund-raising event for Ukraine, Together Until Victory (Kartu iki Pergalės).

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and First Lady Diana Nausėdienė urged Lithuanians to help “brotherly Ukraine”.

“29 years ago, on January 13, Ukrainian people [...] brought help to Lithuania, even joined the ranks of the defenders,” he said on Monday. “Today, it’s our turn to help Ukrainians in the difficult fight for freedom, dignity, and peace.”



Read more: Lithuania commemorates Soviet aggression of January 13, 1991 – photos

Together until Victory – the yearly support concert for Ukraine / D. Umbrasas/LRT

“Today, the enemy’s dirty shoes continue to trample Ukrainian territory. People are dying [and] despite the involvement of the international community, cynical [violations] of international law continue.”

During the concert, a prominent Lithuania support organisation, Blue Yellow, showed footage from Donbass. They recently brought humanitarian support to Peski, near Donetsk.

“In the [so-called] red zone, every civilian became a hostage,” said Jonas Ohman, the founder of Blue Yellow. “The shooting can start there at any moment.”

Together until Victory – the yearly support concert for Ukraine / D. Umbrasas/LRT

The Lithuanian president also awarded 11 Ukrainians with medals for their support during the January 1991 events in Vilnius. “We are saying a very big thank you to them, we say a big thank you to the whole Ukrainian nation,” said Nausėda.

The event was broadcasted live on LRT in Lithuania and simultaneously on 5 Kanal (5 Channel) in Ukraine. Tens of thousands of euros were donated in the event’s previous iterations.



Various Lithuanian and Ukrainian musicians and celebrities took part in the concert.