Bloody Sunday: What Did Gorbachev Know About the January 1991 Events in Vilnius and Riga?

Abstract

In January 1991 Soviet troops conducted several military operations in Vilnius and Riga aimed at subduing the renegade Baltic republics. In the aftermath of these events, nearly 20 civilians died and dozens were injured. To this day, Mikhail Gorbachev, president of the Soviet Union at that time, denies knowing or approving of these operations. This article reexamines his claims of innocence and finds convincing evidence to the contrary: most likely, he did not order the deaths of innocent people, but he embraced the solution that led to this outcome.

Keywords:

• Mikhail Gorbachev
• Soviet Union
• Vilnius
• Riga
• Bloody Sunday

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Brian D. Taylor for sharing valuable information sources, George Behlmer and two anonymous reviewers whose comments have improved the quality of this paper.

Notes

Notes

1.  For notable exceptions see the Winter 2003 issue of the Journal of Cold War Studies; see in particular Taylor (pp. 40–3).

2.  ‘“Vzglyad” Reporter Relates Vilnius Experience’, Radio Rosii Network, 15 January 1991 (trans. in Foreign Broadcast Information Service Daily Reports (FBIS-SOV)-91-011, 16 January 1991, p. 76).

3.  ‘Moscow TV on “Conundrums” in TASS Reportage’, Central Television First Program Network, 14 January 1991 (trans. in FBIS-SOV-91-011, 16 January 1991, p. 74.)

4.  In his earlier book of memoirs, Zhizn’ i reformy (1995), Gorbachev provides a more detailed and adequate chronology of the events in Lithuania.

5.  At the time, Kauls also served as USSR People's Deputy and a member of the Presidential Council. Alfred Rubiks, the chairman of the Committee, was also USSR People's Deputy and the First Secretary of the Latvian Communist Party.

6.  ‘Correspondent Reports Latvia's Interfront Calls for Introduction of Presidential Rule in the Republic’, Official Kremlin International News Broadcast, Moscow, 18 December 1990, available at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe, accessed 14 July 2006.

7.  ‘Riga Another Explosion’, Pravda, 12 December, 90, p. 2, available at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe, accessed 10 July 2006.

8.  ‘International Press Institute Protests Treatment of Latvian Journalist’, Associated Press, London, 4 January 1991, available at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe, accessed 10 December 2005.

9.  ‘Briefing by Vitaly Ignatenko’, Official Kremlin International News Broadcast, Moscow, 8 January 1991, available at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe, accessed 5 December 2005.

10.  On the day of Prunskiene's resignation, around 5,000–10,000 pro-Soviet demonstrators gathered outside the parliament building to protest against the price hike and to demand the dismissal of the government. Several demonstrators attempted to storm the building, but the attempt failed.

11.  ‘Urgent–Situation in Lithuania Worsens’, ITAR-TASS, 11 January 1991, available at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe, accessed 19 July 2006.

12.  ‘Pravda Reports “Agravation”’, Pravda, 12 January 1991, p. 2 (trans. in FBIS-SOV-91-009, 14 January 1991, p. 50).

13.  ‘Vilnius Commander: Situation “Normal”’, TASS International Service, 12 January 1991 (trans. in FBIS-SOV-91-009, 14 January 1991, pp. 56–7).

14.  Ibid.

15.  Gorbachev mentions that the meeting was attended by head of the Latvian Supreme Council Anatolijs Gorbunovs, Estonian Prime Minister Edgar Savisaar, and Egidijus Bickauskas, the Lithuanian diplomatic representative in Moscow.

16.  ‘Gorbachev Meets Prunskiene to Discuss Army in Baltic Region’, The Russian Information Agency ITAR-TASS, Moscow, 8 January 1991, available at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe, accessed 10 December 2005.

17.  ‘Deployment Not Discussed’, Agence France-Presse (AFP), 8 January 1991 (in FBIS-SOV-91-006, 9 January 1991, p. 47).

18.  ‘Gorbachev Attack on Yeltsin Situation in Baltic Viewed’, BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, 17 January 1991 (SU/0972/C1/1, available at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe, accessed 10 December 2005).

19.  Ibid.

20.  ‘Riga Told to Toe Kremlin Line’, The Times, 15 January 1991, available at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe, accessed 19 July 2006.

21.  ‘Gorbunovs Talks by Telephone to Gorbachev’, BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, 19 January 1991 (SU/0974/i, available at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe, accessed 15 December 2005).

22.  ‘Pugo Agrees to Talks after Latvian Ultimatum’, AFP, 18 January 1991 (in FBIS-SOV-91-013, 18 January 1991, p. 76).

23.  ‘Gorbachev Attack on Yeltsin Situation in Baltic Viewed’, BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, 17 January 1991 (SU/0972/C1/1, available at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe, accessed 10 December 2005); Dobrochotov (1992, p. 302).

24.  In Zhizn’ i reformy (1995) Gorbachev discusses Latvian events in greater detail.

25.  ‘Gorbachev Baltic Address’, ITAR-TASS, 22 January 1991, available at: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe, accessed 15 December 2005.

26.  ‘Gorbachev Explains Recent Policy Toward Lithuania’, ITAR-TASS, 14 January 1991 (trans. in FBIS-SOV91-010, 15 January 1991, p. 23).

27.  Gorbachev himself uses this secret document in his memoirs in order to justify his version of the Baltic events. See Gorbachev (1995, pp. 507–8).

28.  ‘Military Coup Would Herald “End of Perestroyka”’, Komsomolskaya Pravda, 15 January 1991, p. 1 (trans. in FBIS-SOV-91-011, 16 January 1991, pp. 79–80).