When TV images showed the killing last year of civilians protesting for change in Ukraine’s Maidan movement, Lithuanians felt they had seen it all happen before.
Because they had.
Lithuania announced its independence from the Soviet Union 25 years ago on March 11. Soon after, Moscow tried to put down the movement with tanks, special forces troops and blockades. Today, Ukraine is living through a similar reality.
But how did the last 25 years lead to such different results in... read more
When TV images showed the killing last year of civilians protesting for change in Ukraine’s Maidan movement, Lithuanians felt they had seen it all happen before.
Because they had.
Lithuania announced its independence from the Soviet Union 25 years ago on March 11. Soon after, Moscow tried to put down the movement with tanks, special forces troops and blockades. Today, Ukraine is living through a similar reality.
But how did the last 25 years lead to such different results in these two countries? Lithuania began the year by joining the Euro-zone, reducing its energy dependence on Russia and preparing to beef up NATO’s presence in the country. Ukraine began the year with a ravaged economy, a war in its east and over half a million Ukrainian refugees in their own country.
Blood Brothers? is a 25-minute documentary made with unique archive images from the Lithuanian national broadcaster, LRT. In it, NATO Review Magazine talks to Lithuanians to find out how they managed to take such a different path, how close they came to Ukraine’s fate, and what advice they would give to Ukrainians today. We hear from those who were on the frontline of Lithuania’s 1990 revolution – including the newsreader who was taken off air by Soviet forces during a broadcast – through to those assisting Ukrainians on the frontline today. show less
