Lithuania's political and religious leaders have gathered with thousands of citizens to bid farewell to four American soldiers who died during training exercises in the Baltic country.
President Gitanas Nauseda and other high-profile figures were among those who stood respectfully as hearses carrying the bodies of the four young Americans headed to Vilnius airport, from where they were flown to the United States for burial.
Many viewers were moved to tears, and Mr. Nausėda noted that the public and military reaction to the loss of soldiers was rooted in Lithuania's complex history.
“For us, this is more than just a duty, it is a real emotion. We have lived through difficult times in our history and therefore we can understand what loss is, what death is and what an honorable duty is,” Mr. Nausėda said in his speech to the audience.
Students and teachers held Lithuanian and American flags in memory of the soldiers who died in the tragic incident on NATO's eastern flank, an area on the brink of Russian aggression in neighboring Ukraine.
One of the groups was organized by Justin Boyd, director of the American International School of Vilnius, who said his group came “to honor the fallen soldiers from the United States, and to celebrate the ties between Lithuania and America and the defense alliance they represent.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
