In the capital of Lithuania, police detained a 21-year-old man suspected of desecrating the state flag of Ukraine, which had been installed on the building of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The detainee has already been informed of the suspicion.
This was reported on 13 November by the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT, citing Vilnius police.
The incident occurred on 12 November at about 04:45 on Gediminas Avenue in the centre of the Lithuanian capital. According to law enforcement officials, the man, who was under the influence of alcohol, tore down the Ukrainian flag from the ministry building and broke the wooden pole.
After that, the suspect carried the flag along Gediminas Avenue. When he reached the intersection with A. Vienuolio Street, he threw it into a garbage truck.
On the same day at about 22:22, police officers located the suspect and detained him. The man was taken to a police detention facility.
According to the police, the detainee was born in 2005 and had previously come to the attention of law enforcement agencies in connection with committing criminal offenses. His name and citizenship are not disclosed.
The man was informed of the suspicion of desecrating the state flag of a foreign country. As a preventive measure, he was ordered not to leave his place of residence in writing.
Earlier, on the morning of 13 November, police reported that two unknown individuals might have been involved in damaging the Ukrainian flag. In a subsequent statement, law enforcement officials clarified the circumstances of the incident and confirmed the detention of one suspect.
The motives of the man's act have not yet been established. The investigation is ongoing.
