Valdas Tutkus
Born (1960-12-27) December 27, 1960
Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance Soviet Union
 Lithuania
Service/branch Soviet Army
 Lithuanian Land Force
Years of service1978–2009
RankLieutenant general
Commands heldChief of Defence of Lithuania

Lieutenant General Valdas Tutkus (born 27 December 1960) is a former Chief of Defence of Lithuania. He served in this position from 30 June 2004 to 3 July 2009.[1][2]

Biography

From 1978 to 1982, he studied at the Tashkent Higher All-Arms Command School. After 1982, he became a platoon commander. and in 1983 was sent to Afghanistan as part of units of the Turkestan Military District's 40th Army. From 1988 to 1991, he studied at the Frunze Military Academy in Moscow. By 1991, Tutkus withdrew from the Soviet Armed Forces and became a founding member of the modern Lithuanian Armed Forces.[1]

After the restoration of independence, he served in the 'Iron Wolf' Mechanised Infantry Brigade.[1] In 1995, he was sent to the NATO Defense College in Rome.[1] From 1999 to 2001, he served as Military Representative of the Republic of Lithuania to NATO and the European Union. This was concurrent to the post of Defense Attaché to the Kingdom of Belgium. From 2001 to 2004   he was Commander of the Lithuanian Land Forces.[3] At the end of his term, he became Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.[4][5] On 24 July 2009, Arvydas Pocius was assigned as Chief of Defence and Tutkus was dismissed. From 2014 to 2015, he was Director of the Lithuanian Defense and Security Industry Association.[6]

On 5 October 2023, Tutkus announced his intention to run as a candidate in the 2024 Lithuanian presidential election, supported by the Party "Together with the Vytis", formerly known as the Lithuanian Pensioners' Party. In his electoral program, he supports nationalization of strategic sectors of the economy, abandoning the Euro and restoring the litas, defending family values and maintaining friendly relations with all neighbouring states.[7][8]

Personal life

He is married to Lilija, and has a son named Vytautas.

Awards

  • Nominal Weapon (2001)[9]
  • Order of the Cross of Vytis[10]
  • Cross of the Officer of Vytautas the Great Order[11]
  • Commemorative Badge of Russian Army withdrawal from Lithuania
  • Medal of Merit of National Defence System

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 NATO. "Lieutenant General Valdas Tutkus, Chief of Defence of the Lithuanian Armed Forces". NATO. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  2. ↑ "Valdas Tutkus". www.vle.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  3. ↑ "1453 Dėl pulkininko V.Tutkaus skyrimo Lietuvos kariuomenės lauko pajėgų vadu". e-seimas.lrs.lt.
  4. ↑ "118 Dėl V. Tutkaus skyrimo Lietuvos Respublikos kariuomenės vadu". e-seimas.lrs.lt.
  5. ↑ "NATO Biographies: Chief of Defence of the Lithuanian Armed Forces". www.nato.int.
  6. ↑ "V.Tutkus traukiasi". lzinios.lt. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  7. ↑ Tutkus, Valdas (2023-11-15). "Valdas Tutkus – Principinės Programinės Nuostatos". Partija "Kartu su Vyčiu" (in Lithuanian).
  8. ↑ "Buvęs Lietuvos kariuomenės vadas Tutkus sieks prezidento posto". Delfi (in Lithuanian). 2023-10-05.
  9. ↑ "1583 Dėl apdovanojimo vardiniu ginklu". e-seimas.lrs.lt.
  10. ↑ "1K-1899 Dėl Valdo Tutkaus apdovanojimo Vyčio Kryžiaus ordino Komandoro didžiuoju kryžiumi". e-seimas.lrs.lt.
  11. ↑ "2042 Dėl Lietuvos Respublikos ir užsienio valstybių piliečių apdovanojimo Lietuvos Valstybės ordinais ..." e-seimas.lrs.lt.
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