Visaginas bids farewell to lawmaker and Olympian Yevgeniy Shuklin

Hundreds gathered in Visaginas on Sunday to pay final respects to Yevgeniy Shuklin, a member of parliament and celebrated canoeist who died unexpectedly this week at age 41, LRT reports.

Colleagues from the Seimas, Liberal Movement party members, and local officials attended the funeral service at St. Paul the Apostle Church before Shuklin was laid to rest in the city’s old cemetery. Among the mourners were Liberal Movement leader Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, party members Arminas Lydeka and Simonas Gentvilas, Visaginas Mayor Erlandas Galaguzas, and fellow athletes.

Čmilytė-Nielsen described Shuklin as a dedicated public figure who “cared deeply for his hometown” and inspired young people through sport and politics. “In every field he pursued—whether sports, business, or public service—he strove for excellence through hard work and integrity,” she told reporters.

Shuklin, born in 1985 in Glazov, Russia, represented Lithuania in canoeing at the 2012 London Olympics and won medals at world and European championships. He later transitioned to business and politics, serving as a city councilor in Visaginas, acting mayor, and most recently as a Seimas member since 2024 with the Liberal Movement faction.

News of his death on Thursday prompted condolences from President Gitanas Nausėda, Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, and other officials. The cause of death has not been disclosed.