Linkevičius gives Russia history lesson, bringing up old map

Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius reminded modern Russian "Empire restorers" of Muscovy’s place on the map in the time of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

The diplomat dwelled on history in a tweet, Ukrinform reports.

"To discuss ‘Imperial Ambitions’, let's look at the Grand Duchy of #Lithuania (13th- 15th centuries). Not because of the ‘restoration of the empire’ but for the spread of the spirit of freedom. Something had to be preserved in the genes," Linkevičius wrote.

As reported earlier, Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to the Russian president and head of the Russian delegation to Ukraine talks, giving a lecture at the “History of the Future. Peter's Image” forum that Russia plans to expand its territory up to the borders of the Russian Empire with a possible occupation of Poland and Finland.

Speaking to the Russian youths on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the last tsar of Muscovy and the first Russian emperor, Russian President Vladimir Putin compared himself to Peter I, claiming he also has a historic mission - to regain lands and strengthen the empire.

Memo The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Ruthenia, and Samogitia was one of the largest European states of the late Middle Ages. During its strongest years, it spread its reign over the territories of modern Lithuania, Belarus, most of Ukraine, western parts of Russia, small parts of Poland’s east, Moldova, and the southern part of  Latvia. It existed from 1236 to 1795.