On Thursday, world media reported that Yevgeny Fedorov, a lawmaker from Putin’s United Russia party, submitted a bill to the State Duma in which provided for the repeal of the decision of the State Council of the USSR “on the recognition of the independence of the Republic of Lithuania”. In his justification, Fedorov refers to an amendment to the Russian constitution which states that “the Russian Federation is the legal successor of the Soviet Union on its territory”. According to Russian lawmakers, then-President Mikhail Gorbachev created an unconstitutional body – the State Council of the USSR – which recognized the independence of the Lithuanian Republic.

The Lithuanian authorities did not officially refer to the Fedorov project, but Lithuanian lawmaker Matas Maldeikis commented on Twitter. He wrote: “If Russia would withdraw Lithuania’s recognition of independence in 1991, then Lithuania would cancel the Treaty of Polanów of 1634 and demand that Putin submit to Władysław IV’s rule and return all occupied territories to the Grand Duchy. Smolensk is Lithuania!”.

Maldeikis has confused some historical facts. The aforementioned peace at Polanów was concluded on 14 June 1634 between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth – which includes Lithuania – and the Russian Empire. The armistice ended the Smolensk War (1632-1634), initiated by Russia with a desire to take control of the area known as the Smolensk Gate. Peace decisions were confirmed by the acquisition of the Commonwealth of 1619, including the acquisition of the Smolensk voivodeship.

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