Lithuanian prosecutor demands conviction and €20,000 fine for ex-military chief Rupšys

A Lithuanian prosecutor has called for the conviction of the country’s former military commander Valdemaras Rupšys on charges of abuse of power, document forgery, and fraud, state broadcaster LRT reports.

State prosecutor Stanislavas Barsulis of the Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office urged the court to impose a fine of 400 minimum monthly wages (MGL)—equivalent to €20,000—arguing that Rupšys had unlawfully received dental implants paid for with military funds.

Rupšys is accused of falsely claiming a dental injury sustained during a 2022 deployment to secure state-funded treatment. Prosecutors allege he colluded with Šarūnas Ratkus, then a military medical service odontologist, to fabricate medical records justifying the procedure. Ratkus, also on trial, faces identical charges.

Barsulis emphasised the severity of the case, stating that high-ranking officials—including one responsible for national security—had “deliberately undermined public trust” through their actions. He dismissed defence arguments as contradictory to evidence, including medical records, X-rays, and diagnostic reports presented in court.

Rupšys’ lawyer, Arūnas Petrauskas, has requested full acquittal for his client. Both defendants deny wrongdoing.

The trial centres on events from July 2022, when Rupšys allegedly sought treatment under false pretences. Prosecutors claim Ratkus altered ambulatory records to support the fraudulent claim, damaging confidence in military medical officers. Barsulis argued the offence violated the military oath and “discredited Lithuania’s defence institutions.”

A verdict in the case has not yet been announced.