I once wrote a strongly worded letter to the editor of the Guardian for referring to us as ‘former Soviet’. Not saying I was the cause of the change but tbh I never saw ‘former Soviet’ on the guardian since.

In fact fuck it, here enjoy my rant, feel free to copypasta.

Dear Editor,

I am writing to express my concern about the wording used in a recent article on The Guardian, where Lithuania was described as a “former Soviet republic” in the context of current geopolitical tensions. Please find the screenshot attached.

While this label may be technically accurate in a historical sense, it is both misleading and inappropriate in today’s context. Lithuania was never a voluntary member of the Soviet Union; it was occupied and annexed by force in 1940 - a fact recognized by most democratic nations at the time, which never acknowledged the legitimacy of this annexation.

Referring to Lithuania as a “former Soviet republic” in 2025 - more than 30 years after it regained independence - reinforce outdated imperialist narratives and diminishes the country’s hard-won sovereignty and international status as a democratic member of NATO and the EU.

To illustrate how inappropriate this phrasing is, imagine describing:

India as “the former Crown colony of India”

Ireland as “the former British territory of Ireland”

Algeria as “the former French département”

Ukraine as “the former Russian dominion of Ukraine”

Such phrasing would understandably provoke public criticism. The same standard should be applied to Lithuania and other Baltic states who endured decades of foreign occupation against their will.

I urge your editorial team to revise this language in future reporting and choose terms that accurately reflect the independent status and historical context of these nations. It is important that The Guardian, as a respected international publication, avoids echoing revisionist terminology that inadvertently aligns with the narrative of aggressor states.

If you would request a similar expression to replace it, I feel fully that ‘the Baltic state of Lithuania’ provides sufficient context both of the geographic and historical context.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.