“Labeling Russian culture is wrong” – Lithuania’s new culture minister
Source: LRT
In a bid to move away from blanket bans for Russian artists, Lithuania’s incoming Minister of Culture, Šarūnas Birutis, said his Baltic country needs more nuanced approach to Russian culture and its representatives.
“We understand that the Russian people are not the Kremlin. For millennia, they have been our neighbors and likely will remain so. Many people of Russian descent live in Lithuania as citizens, and most are loyal to Lithuania as their homeland. It is entirely wrong and inappropriate to stigmatize their nationality or culture,” said Birutis in an interview with LRT.
The minister argued for a balanced approach to Russian artists and musicians who plan to perform in Lithuania:
“Artists are different. Many have emigrated, and some openly oppose the Kremlin’s regime. It’s important to distinguish between those loyal to the regime and those resisting it. They are also part of Russian culture and should not all be painted with the same brush.”
His views appear to be at odds with earlier proposals by outgoing Minister Simonas Kairys, who called for a “mental quarantine” on Russian art in solidarity with Ukraine. In December 2023, Lithuania’s Seimas Cultural Committeeeven proposed a commission to screen Russian artists to identify pro-Putin affiliations. However, the government rejected the idea.
A kamikaze drone flies directly toward an armored personnel carrier. But instead of penetrating the hull, it explodes on a steel screen. The crew survives. This is the new reality for Ukrainian forces, who have received enhanced protection thanks to the Metinvest project within “Steel Front of Rinat Akhmetov”.
To commemorate the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion, “Bukvy” has compiled data on the largest donors supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Among them there are charitable foundations and businesses. The list includes, in particular, foundations that provide assistance exclusively from their own resources, without fundraising (such as SCM by Rinat Akhmetov, Epicenter, etc.).
In just 1.5 months, Ukrainian specialists have created an innovative protective shell for the control modules of anti-aircraft missile systems (AMS) Patriot and Iris-T SLM. This development was another step in strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities, aimed at protecting key elements of the air defense system from debris damage.
Military serviceman of the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine with the call sign “Paradox” is the crew commander of the American M113 armored personnel carrier. He is a master at using it and is constantly improving, because the legionnaire’s skills are tested every day in battle. You have to drive to the front lines, often under artillery fire and drone attacks.
Notorious supporter of the concept “in order for a cow to eat less and give more milk, it needs to be fed less and milked more” “Servant of the People” Danylo Hetmantsev, under the guise of “business requirements”, registered a draft law on the collection of VAT on all foreign purchases, regardless of their value. In other words, every Ukrainian, buying goods of any value and purpose abroad, when sending them to Ukraine, will have to pay an additional fifth part, or 20% of the cost of the goods.