Occupation of the Latvian Republic Day

Red Army entering Riga, June 17, 1940

Also called| Latvian: Latvijas Republikas okupācijas diena
Observed by| Latvia
Significance| Commemoration of the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940
Date| 17 June
Next time| 17 June 2025 (2025-06-17)
Frequency| annual

Occupation of the Latvian Republic Day (Latvian: Latvijas Republikas okupācijas diena) is an official day of remembrance in Latvia and is observed on June 17.[1] It commemorates the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940.

## Overview

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On June 17, 1940 Soviet troops invaded Latvia and occupied bridges, post/telephone, telegraph, and broadcasting offices. On the same day, Andrei Vishinski, Deputy Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union, introduced himself to President Kārlis Ulmanis as Soviet special envoy; two days later, Vishinski visited Ulmanis again, this time, to deliver the list, pre-approved by Moscow, of the new members of the cabinet of the Latvian government. Soon after, State administrators were liquidated and replaced by Soviet cadres,[2] in which 34,250 Latvians were deported or killed[3] and Latvia was incorporated into the Soviet Union as The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Soviet Occupation Day became an official remembrance day on May 18, 2000.[4]

Moldova's interim president Mihai Ghimpu instituted in 2010 the Soviet Occupation Day holiday[5][6] to remember the Soviet occupation on June 28, 1940,[7] but the Constitutional Court cancelled his decree on July 12, 2010.[8][9] Georgia followed the example and declared February 25 Soviet Occupation Day to recall the Red Army invasion of Georgia in 1921.[10][11]

## See also

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* Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940
* Occupation of the Baltic states
* Red Army invasion of Georgia
* Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina

## References

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1. ^ Likums "Par svētku, atceres un atzīmējamām dienām"
2. ^ Wettig, Gerhard, Stalin and the Cold War in Europe, Rowman & Littlefield, Landham, Md, 2008, ISBN 0-7425-5542-9, page 20–21
3. ^ Simon Sebag Montefiore. Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar. p. 334.
4. ^ "Grozījumi likumā "Par svētku un atceres dienām"". Retrieved 17 September 2016.
5. ^ Vladimir Socor, Moldovan Government Chickens out of Historical Assessment of Communism
6. ^ www.publika.md (24 June 2010). "În fiecare an, pe 28 iunie, Moldova va comemora Ziua ocupaţiei sovietice şi victimele regimului totalitar comunist". Retrieved 17 September 2016.
7. ^ Vladimir Socor, Russia Defends Soviet Occupation of Moldova
8. ^ "Moldovan Leader: Court Ruling Against 'Soviet Occupation Day' Was Political". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 12 July 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2016 - via Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty.
9. ^ Moldpres, Moldovan top court says presidential decree on Day of Soviet Occupation unlawful Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine
10. ^ Georgia declares February 25 Soviet Occupation Day
11. ^ "Georgia: Feb. 25 Declared 'Soviet Occupation Day'". Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2016.

## External links

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* Soviet Occupation Remembered in Riga
* Rihards Treijs "Par Latvijas okupāciju 1940.gadā"
* Latvijas Avīze "17. jūnijs – Latvijas Republikas okupācijas diena" (17.06.09.)
* "Latvijas okupācija:vēsturiskie un starptautiski tiesiskie aspekti"
* AllMoldova.md: "June 28 declared Day of Soviet Occupation'", 24 June 2010
* RFE/RL: "'Soviet Occupation Day' Causes Rift In Moldova's Ruling Alliance", 3 July 2010