The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry criticizing Russia for the issue of the new 5 rubles coin dedicated to the liberation of Vilnius in 1944. On 1 August 2016, Bank of Russia issues commemorative coins including fourteen non-precious metal coin series called "Foreign Capitals Liberated by Soviet Troops from German Nazi Invaders".
The political director of the ministry, Rolandas Kačinskas told BNS news agency, such a move confirms that Russia has not accepted the “historical truth about the Soviet occupation of Baltics.”
The commemorative silver coin depicts a now-disassembled monument to the soldier-liberators of Vilnius. The coin also has the inscription “Vilnius” and “13 Jul 1944,” the day when the Soviet army liberated the city from Nazi troops. According to Kačinskas, the date on the coin represents the day the Nazi occupation of the country was replaced by the Soviet occupation. “The issue of coins only confirms that Russia is not yet ready for the historical truth about the Soviet occupation,” Kačinskas stated.
The monument on the Green Bridge in Vilnius was removed in July 2015. The authorities explained the decision by declaring that the sculpture was in a state of disrepair. Before that, there was a plaque about the Soviet occupation near the monument.
On 1 August 2016, the Bank of Russia issues 14 coins of non-precious metals in denomination of 5 rubles each within the series called ‘Capital cities liberated by the Soviet troops from the Nazis’.
The reverse side of the coins bears the following relief images:
- sculpture of the memorial complex ‘Monument-museum to the liberators of Kiev’ in Kiev with «6 НОЯБРЯ 1943 г.» (6 NOVEMBER 1943) inscription at the bottom;
- part of the memorial ‘Mount of Glory’ in the Smolevichi District of the Minsk Region with «3 ИЮЛЯ 1944 г.» (3 JULY 1944) inscription at the bottom;;
- monument to soldiers-liberators in the city of Vilnius with «13 ИЮЛЯ 1944 г.» (13 JULY 1944) inscription at the bottom;
- part of the Memorial of martial glory in the city of Chisinau with «24 АВГУСТА 1944 г.» (24 AUGUST 1944) inscription at the bottom;
- monument to the soldier-liberator in Bucharest with «31 АВГУСТА 1944 г.» (31 AUGUST 1944) inscription at the bottom;
- monument to the soldier-liberator in Tallinn with «22 СЕНТЯБРЯ 1944 г.» (22 SEPTEMBER 1944) inscription at the bottom;
- monument to ‘Liberators of Riga’ in Riga with «15 ОКТЯБРЯ 1944 г.» (15 OCTOBER 1944) inscription at the bottom;
- part of the monument to soldiers-liberators in Belgrade with «20 ОКТЯБРЯ 1944 г.» (20 OCTOBER 1944) insciption at the bottom;
- statuary in the cemetery-mausoleum of the Soviet soldiers in Warsaw with «17 ЯНВАРЯ 1945 г.» (17 JANUARY 1945) inscription at the bottom;
- monument to soldiers-liberators in Budapest with «13 ФЕВРАЛЯ 1945 г.» (13 FEBRUARY 1945) inscription at the bottom;
- parts of the Monument-mausoleum to the Russian soldiers perished in Bratislava with «4 АПРЕЛЯ 1945 г.» (4 APRIL 1945) inscription at the bottom;
- monument to the Soviet soldiers in Vienna with «13 АПРЕЛЯ 1945 г.» (13 APRIL 1945) inscription at the bottom;
- monument to the soldier-liberator in Berlin with «2 МАЯ 1945 г.» (2 MAY 1945) inscription at the bottom;
- sculpture of the memorial to the Soviet soldiers in Prague with «9 МАЯ 1945 г.» (9 MAY 1945) inscription at the bottom.
The coins are issued within the emission programme with mintage of every type of coins being 2 million pieces.
Russia Central Bank has responded to the criticism by the Lithuanian foreign Ministry on the issue of Russian commemorative coins with the image of Vilnius.
"Any geopolitical changes that have occurred since the end of world war II, I can not put into question the undoubted importance of the victory over fascism for the peoples of Europe and the world. And this victory is dedicated to a series of memorable coins of Bank of Russia", — told RBC in the Central Bank.
