Leaders Honor Historic Uprising

In a poignant ceremony held in Vilnius, Lithuania, on January 25, 2026, key political figures from Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland commemorated the January Uprising of 1863–1864, a significant historical event against Russian oppression. The leaders gathered at Rasos Cemetery to pay their respects to those who sacrificed their lives for national freedom.

The solemn event was attended by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska of Ukraine, President Gitanas Nausėda and First Lady Diana Nausėdienė of Lithuania, and President Karol Nawrocki and First Lady Marta Nawrocka of Poland. They were joined by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a prominent figure in the Belarusian democratic movements. Together, they honored the fallen with a memorial prayer and a moment of silence, reflecting on the uprising’s enduring motto: “For our freedom and yours.”

The January Uprising was a pivotal moment in Eastern European history, marking the collective defiance of Ukrainian, Polish, Lithuanian, and Belarusian peoples against the Russian Empire. The uprising, which began on January 22, 1863, and lasted until June 1864, remains a symbol of the struggle for liberty and unity against oppression. The commemoration not only served as a remembrance of those who fought and died but also as a testament to ongoing solidarity among nations that share a common history of resistance.