That day, the world's attention was focused on Moscow. On July 30–31, 1991, some 3,000 journalists gathered there to witness one of the defining moments marking the end of the Cold War – the signing of a landmark arms-reduction treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union.
At the same time, Lithuania was hosting the Fourth World Lithuanian Games, bringing together more than 6,000 Lithuanians from across the globe. The celebration reunited members of the Lithuanian diaspora with their homeland after decades of separation. Among the participants was future Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus.
Few could have imagined that Adamkus would instead be asked to react to images from Medininkai.
"It is horrifying. There are no words in the civilised world to express the feelings, the tragedy that took place this morning," he said.
The fatal shots fired on the morning of July 31 killed Vilnius Customs inspectors Antanas Musteikis, Stanislovas Orlavičius and Ričardas Rabavičius, Road Police officers Algirdas Kazlauskas and Juozas Janonis, and members of the ARAS special police response unit, Mindaugas Balavakas and Algimantas Juozakas, who were on duty at the Medininkai border post.
