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This unusual proposal may show Russia’s intentions in the Baltics. Yevgeny Fedorov, a member of United Russia, the party of Russian President Vladimir Putin, introduced a bill to the lower house of the Russian parliament (Duma) this Wednesday to abolish the independence of Lithuaniaa country that became autonomous from the Soviet Union in 1990.
According to the Lithuanian state channel LRT, State Duma deputy clarifies that Lithuania did not hold a referendum on gaining independence from the Soviet Union and that there was no transitional period during which issues relating to its independence were discussed. As the legal representative of the Soviet Union, Thus, Russia has the right to “regulate relations” that still “affect the current situation.”
Currently, Yevgeny Fedorov points that the Baltic country cannot be a member of NATOsince the military alliance does not allow “disputed legal entities” – the status that Moscow grants Lithuania – to join the organization.
Lithuania was the first former Soviet republic to declare independence back in 1990, but Soviet troops attempted to overthrow the Lithuanian government and officially left the country only three years later.
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This is not the first time this has happened. In 2015, Yevgeny Fedorov had already submitted a similar bill against Lithuanian independence, stating at the time that the recognition was unconstitutional.
As one of the countries most opposed to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and bordering Russia in the Kaliningrad enclave, Lithuania called Russia a “terrorist” state and accused Moscow of committing genocide on Ukrainian territory.
