On 12 August 2026, to mark the 627th anniversary of the Battle of the Vorskla, a ceremonial unveiling of the "Battle of the Vorskla 1399" memorial took place at the "Field of the Battle of Poltava" State Historical and Cultural Reserve.
The new memorial commemorates one of the largest battles of the 14th century, which took place in the Poltava region on 12 August 1399 between the army of Vytautas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and the forces of the Golden Horde. Representatives from various lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, including Ukrainian territories, took part in the battle.
The initiative to erect the memorial was launched by Hanna Nevoit, a councillor of the 8th convocation of the Podilskyi District Council in Poltava, the Institute of the Lithuanian Scientific Society and the Association of Lithuanian Scientists. The project was made possible with the support of the State Historical and Cultural Reserve "Field of the Battle of Poltava" and took around three years to complete.
The memorial is carved from a single block of granite. Its front face bears an emblem and an inscription in Ukrainian, English and Lithuanian: "On 12 August 1399, the Battle of the Vorskla took place on this field, according to the Swedish historian G. Adlerfeld."
The unveiling ceremony was attended by representatives of the city authorities, the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Ukraine, the Lithuanian Union of Scientists, Vytautas the Great University, the State Historical and Cultural Reserve "Field of the Battle of Poltava", as well as academics, lecturers, local historians and members of the Poltava public.
During the event, Justinas Ražinskas, Third Secretary at the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Ukraine, expressed his gratitude to everyone who had contributed to the project and emphasised Lithuania’s unwavering support for Ukraine.
Representatives of the Lithuanian and Ukrainian academic communities spoke about the significance of the Battle of the Vorskla for the history of Ukraine and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of further joint research into this chapter of history and the promotion of knowledge about it.
“The Battle of the Vorskla is well known among professional historians in Europe, yet for a long time it remained under-represented in Poltava’s historical and cultural landscape. The installation of this memorial is an important step towards restoring the historical memory of the events that took place on our land over six centuries ago,” said Hanna Nevoit, one of the project’s initiators.
A blessing ceremony was held for the memorial plaque, followed by a prayer for all those who fell in the Battle of the Vorskla. Those present also observed a minute’s silence to honour the memory of the soldiers who died in the battle of 1399, and the defenders of Ukraine who have lost their lives in the current Russian-Ukrainian war. Those taking part in the ceremony laid flowers at the memorial.
The unveiling was not only an event to honour the shared Ukrainian-Lithuanian historical heritage, but also a new step in the development of cultural and academic partnership between Ukraine and Lithuania.
During the celebrations, the State Historical and Cultural Reserve "Field of the Battle of Poltava’ and the Vytautas the Great Military Museum signed a cooperation agreement. The document provides for the development of inter-museum ties, the implementation of joint research and exhibition projects, the exchange of expertise and archival materials, as well as further research into the history of the Battle of the Vorskla.
The commemorative plaque has been transferred to the custody of the State Historical and Cultural Reserve "Field of the Battle of Poltava", where it will form part of the reserve’s public historical and cultural space and serve as a reminder of an important chapter in the shared history of Ukraine and Lithuania.
To the news list
