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VILNIUS, Jan 12, BNS - Russia is dodging responsibility and the truth when it comes to the assessment of Jan 13 events said Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius.

A statement on Monday issued by Kubilius says crimes against innocent civilians were committed "not by Russia and its great people, but by functionaries in their attempt to save the crumbling Soviet Union".

Having noted Europe's hesitation over whether communist and fascist should be assessed equally Kubilius said "the people of Lithuania never had any doubts on this".

"Back then, in 1991, the State Council of the Russian Federation also didn't have any doubts. (...) Today the tone has altered, and become one of dodging responsibility and the truth. The passing years, however, didn't change the essence of the events and the responsibility to pass judgment on those who ordered and committed the killings of helpless civilians", the prime minister's statement reads.

"Our duty is to achieve justice", the statement underlined. "This will require for Europe's West and East to confess common values. The European Commission's move to urge Russia for operative cooperation on the Jan 13 case is a significant step in this direction", the Lithuanian Cabinet leader said.

EU foreign ministers in May of 2008 agreed to begin talks with Russia on a new Strategic Partnership Agreement, including in the mandate requirements put forth by Lithuania, namely the issue of cut-off oil supply via the Druzhba pipeline, the necessity to deal with frozen conflicts in Georgia and Moldova, cooperation in solving occurrences of Jan. 13 and the Medininkai massacre as well as support for exiled persons, who are returning to the three Baltic States.

"Lithuania has gone a long way in delineating the EU negotiations mandate with Russia, which includes handing over murders of Jan 13 over to justice. This provides hope for the mandate to be properly implemented. Undoubtedly, this will also influence sincerity and trust in bipartite relations", Kubilius said.

Some 14 people were killed and hundreds injured during a rampage by the occupant army and an attempt by Soviet secret services - the KGB - to overthrow Lithuania's administration on the night of Jan 13, 1991, almost a year after the reestablishment of the State of Lithuania.

Some of the perpetrators of the said coup were sentenced by Lithuanian courts, while others are still in hiding from Lithuania's law enforcement in Russia and Belarus.

Jan 13 is marked in Lithuania as Freedom Fighters Day.