June 10, President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda conferred on Chief of Defence Lt Gen Valdemaras Rupšys the rank of general, a new most senior rank in the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
“General V. Rupšys is an exceptional professional whose contribution to the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ readiness for armed defence of the state leaves no doubt. He is a leader whose every decision holds respect and care for his personnel. Besides, V. Rupšys became versed in cooperation with German military units, a particularly relevant experience at this time, back in 2011 as commander of the Iron Wolf Brigade,” says Minister of national Defence Arvydas Anušauskas emphasizing the extraordinary leadership and professionalism of Gen V. Rupšys.
V. Rupšys took the oath of allegiance in 1990. Since, he has been in charge of a platoon, company, battalion, brigade and the Lithuanian Land Force, every position of command in the Lithuanian Armed Forces, until the eventual assignment as the Chief of Defence by Decree of the President of the Republic of Lithuania in 2019. Valdemaras Rupšys is an alumnus of the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, Baltic Defence College (Estonia), U.S. Army War College.
The new highest military rank of general (admiral) has been introduced in the Lithuanian Armed Forces with an amendment to the Law on the Organization of the National Defence System and Military Service passed by the Seimas this spring. The four-star general rank is exclusively conferred on the Chief of Defence of Lithuania.
The rank has been bestowed by Decree of the President on the basis of a proposal tabled by the Minister of National Defence.
Photo credit: MoD / A. Pliadis
