Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda revoked a state award from former Ukrainian politician Dmytro Tabachnyk, who was recently convicted of collaborating with Russia.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has officially revoked the 2nd degree Order of the Great Duke Gediminas from Dmytro Tabachnyk, a former Ukrainian politician, due to his recent conviction for collaboration with Russia. This decision was made in light of Tabachnyk's current citizenship status with Russia amidst its ongoing military aggression against Ukraine. Tabachnyk was originally awarded the honor in 1996 for his contributions to developing Lithuania-Ukraine intergovernmental relations, a time when Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas was the President of Lithuania.
According to the Presidential Communication Group, the revocation of the award reflects the serious implications of Tabachnyk's actions and the shifting political landscape between Lithuania, Ukraine, and Russia. Following his conviction in March 2024, by a court in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, for violations of three articles of the Ukrainian criminal code related to collaboration with Russia, the decision to retract the honor underscores Lithuania's commitment to supporting Ukraine against external threats and upholding principles of national integrity.
Tabachnyk's case highlights the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia, particularly in the context of individuals who may shift allegiances during wartime. Furthermore, the actions taken by both the Lithuanian government and Ukraine serve to reinforce their stances against collaboration with aggressor states and the importance of international solidarity in the face of geopolitical challenges.
