The Coup of the Volunteers () was a stand-off that occurred in summer 1993 in Lithuania near Kaunas between a group of about 150 men from the Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Forces (then known as or SKAT) and the Lithuanian government. There was mutual distrust between SKAT and the newly elected leftist Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania (LDDP). Several SKAT members (usually referred to as volunteers) abandoned their posts, took their arms, and retreated to a wooded area near Kaunas in July and August 1993. The crisis escalated when the government issued an order for the volunteers to secure their weapons at designated locations in September. Interpreting the order as confiscation of their weapons, a total of about 150 armed men gathered near . They expressed their mistrust and dissatisfaction with the new LDDP government and raised social and political demands. After a week long negotiations, the men agreed to return to their posts if no one would be persecuted for their role in the coup.
Although it concluded peacefully, the stand-off is one of the most controversial and little understood episodes in the early years of post-Soviet Lithuania. Sociologist evaluated the events as a "stress test" of the Lithuanian democracy and the new relationship between the anti-communist and ex-communist elites. The anti-communists, which were now in opposition, did not use the opportunity to return to power. The stand-off was followed by two related and unsolved bombings of the Bražuolė railway bridge in November 1994 (no casualties) and of a passenger car in January 1997 (SKAT officer Juras Abromavičius was killed). The events remain controversial and subject to numerous theories and conspiracies. The political right accuses Russian secret services, while the political left points to the conservatives.
Background
Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union on 11 March 1990. At that time, the Soviet Red Army was in full control of Lithuania and Lithuanians started organizing informal paramilitary volunteer groups to protect and defend the new government. The Soviet Union responded to the declaration of independence by imposing an economic blockade and later by using military force in the events of January 1991. The volunteers as well as unarmed civilians played an important role in defending institutions of the Lithuanian government. The Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Forces (SKAT) was officially established on 17 January 1991, a few days after the January events.
In October–November 1992, the Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania (LDDP), the former Communist Party of Lithuania, won a majority in the country's first post-independence elections. At the time, Lithuania's regular military was still very weak and Russian troops were still stationed in the country. The volunteers were seen as disloyal to the new leftist government. One of the versions of the events blames LDDP and its policies – distrusting SKAT, the new government reduced its funding, did not provide uniforms, ordered to surrender weapons (many of which were purchased by the volunteers from personal funds), etc. thus provoking the volunteers into action.
Coup
On 31 July 1993, SKAT officer Jonas Maskvytis gathered his weapons that he had personally purchased from the retreating Russian Army and left Kaunas to nearby forests. He later explained that he was helping an acquaintance who was defrauded by a group of criminals who trafficked in counterfeit Deutsche Marks. Maskvytis fired at a car with the criminals and corrupt police officers. Upon learning that he would likely be arrested and that he was dismissed by the Minister of National Defence Audrius Butkevičius, Maskvytis decided not to give in and retreat to the forests. He was accompanied by three men and soon joined by others. They took over a homestead of professor in .