I was taking sugar from Panevėžys to Vilnius, but the sugar wasn't unloaded that day because the people at the confectioner's shop had already left. I locked the truck, and it was unloaded only the next morning. Then I drove to the toy factory near Kalvarijų market. Once the toys were loaded, I went to Panevėžys. I passed one set of traffic lights, then I saw a traffic controller at another intersection and further on I saw approaching tanks. The first tank was driving straight towards the traffic controller, but then it managed to turn, and I took a sharp right. The second tank, going at high speed, knocked down the traffic lights and skidded into the middle of the road. lt swerved from one side of the road to the other. Maybe it was doing this to damage more asphalt. The third tank raced over the toppled traffic lights and the sidewalk, and swerved to my side of the road. lt ran over my truck, crushing me inside the cab. People tried to get me out - they tied a rope and pulled. But there was nothing they could do. Then one man took the seat out from the other side and rescued me. I don't understand why that tank didn't stop. You know, driving rules and humanity require giving aid to the victim.
I happened to have served in the Soviet army during the war against Germany. I've seen enough atrocities. Later I fought in the war against Japan. For three years after the war, we ate American conserves. But even during the war there wasn't such brutality. And now I don't know what l'm being left handicapped for. A lot of people come to see me in the hospital. There are oranges and apples here on my bedstand. They were sent to our hospital by Moscovites who had heard about the misfortune.
Lithuania, 1991.01.13 : documents, testimonies, comments. - Vilnius : State Publishing Center, 1992, p. 84-85.