The story of the Battle of Kalniškė

Battle of Lithuanian partisans with NKVD troops on May 16, 1945 in the Kalniškės forest near the village of Gudeliškės in Krosna parish.

About 60–80 partisans, led by Jonas Neifalta Lakūnas, fought to surround the several times larger 220th Regiment of the NKVD Border Troops (commander Major K. Jacenka). As the number of fighters increased before the battle, Lakūnas' company was divided into 6 sections of 12–20 partisans each, originating from the same or neighboring villages.

On the eve of the battle, when the partisans camped in the Kalniškė forest received a report that a large number of NKVD soldiers were concentrated in Simne, the fighters of three sections of the J. Neifalta-Lakūnas company left the camp to protect the local population - it was believed that deportations would take place. Some of the partisans returned home for a short time, but in the morning they were caught by NKVD soldiers in the forest as they were returning to the camp. A battle began in a large forest area; some of the partisans died or were scattered while trying to reach the Kalniškė camp. More than half of the Lakūnas company returned to the camp. When partisan scouts clashed with NKVD soldiers near the Krosna-Lazdijai highway, it became clear that the Kalniškė forest was surrounded by large enemy forces, with ambushes set up along the roads. The partisans, mainly from the units led by Antanas Aleškevičius-Ateitis and Kostas Kliučinskas-Kovas, took up defensive positions on the highest forest hill in Meškakalnis and prepared for a ring defense. They repelled several enemy attacks, but in the evening, when ammunition ran out, the partisans were ordered to retreat. Having divided into 2 groups, the fighters led by J. Neifalta-Lakūnas and his deputy, brother-in-law Albinas Senkaus-Vanagas, broke out of the encirclement.