The Vilna offensive was a campaign of the Polish–Soviet War of 1919–1921. The Polish army launched an offensive on April 16, 1919, to take Vilnius from the Red Army. After three days of street fighting from April 19–21, the city was captured by Polish forces, causing the Red Army to retreat. During the offensive, the Poles also succeeded in securing the nearby cities of Lida, Pinsk, Navahrudak, and Baranovichi.
Polish Army enters Vilnius (Wilno), 1919.
Battle of Vilnius and related operations.
Polish Army badge commemorating the fighting over Wilno in the spring of 1919
Victory parade of Polish Army in Wilno (Vilnius) Cathedral Square, in April 1919
Vilnius is the capital of and largest city in Lithuania, and the second-most populous city in the Baltic states. As of January 2024, Vilnius' estimated population was 602,430, and the Vilnius urban area which extends beyond the city limits has an estimated population of 708,627.
Image: Vilnius old town by Augustas Didzgalvis
Image: Vilnius Cathedral Exterior 2, Vilnius, Lithuania Diliff
Image: Gedimino pilis by Augustas Didzgalvis
Image: Constitution avenue by Augustas Didzgalvis