Lithuania has cut off transit to Kaliningrad, Russia is making a fuss and is conducting training: what is happening
Russian authorities are threatening Lithuania because it has banned the transit of sanctioned goods through its territory to Kaliningrad from Russia since June 18.
This region, although part of Russia, does not have a common land border with it – it borders only Lithuania and Poland, and is bordered by the Baltic Sea.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis explained that the decision was made by the Lithuanian authorities following consultations with the European Commission.
He clarified that the ban applies only to rail transport, but this route was the main one for supplies to the region from Russia.
It should be noted that back in April, the EU banned the transportation of goods from the list of sanctions through its territory on trucks in Russia and Belarus.
Dmitry Chemakin, vice-president of the Kaliningrad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Russian media that the volume of supplies to the Kaliningrad region could now quadruple.
Meanwhile, the governor of the Kaliningrad region Anton Alikhanov clarified that the ban on rail transit covers up to 50% of the range of goods previously supplied from Russia: including coal, building materials, metals, new technologies and more.
Later, on June 20, Alikhanov said that Russia had allegedly found a way around the restrictions: Kaliningrad goods that did not fall under the sanctions want to be redirected to the railway to release ferries for sanctioned cargo.
Russia is furious and threatens Lithuania
Reacting to the current situation, the Kremlin insists that despite the sanctions imposed on the background of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the 2002 agreement, according to which Russia and the EU have agreed on a special zone for the Kaliningrad region, should be in force.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has summoned Lithuania’s Chargé d’Affaires Virginia Umbrasene and issued a threatening ultimatum: if transit is not fully restored in the near future, Russia reserves the right to take action to protect its national interests.
In addition, they accused the Lithuanian side of provocative measures, which Moscow described as openly hostile, demanding the immediate lifting of restrictions.
In addition, the governor of the Kaliningrad region Alikhanov promised to develop retaliatory measures that should affect the transport complex of the Baltic countries.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin considered Vilnius’ decision an illegal element of the blockade of Kaliningrad.
Leonid Slutsky, head of Russia’s State Duma’s foreign affairs committee, called Lithuania’s lawful actions cynicism and hypocrisy, noting that Russia reserves the right to act to protect its national interests and its sovereignty.
Russia later began military exercises alongside Lithuania in the Kaliningrad region.
It involves missile and artillery units and the military of the Baltic Fleet.
The Russian mass media note that about a thousand military and more than a hundred units of combat and special equipment of artillery and missile units were involved in the maneuvers.
It is reported that the artillery and rocket launchers will perform several hundred fire tasks with the use of MLRS Hail and Hurricane, large-caliber guns, self-propelled artillery.
Ukraine and the European Union spoke in support of Lithuania
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba emphasizes that Moscow has no one to blame for what happened except itself, and Russia has no right to threaten Lithuania.
He also welcomed Lithuania’s principled position and spoke in support of Lithuanian friends.
The head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, noted that the Kremlin’s attempts to threaten Lithuania are a challenge for the EU and NATO. He called on Western partners to maintain a firm stance and not to make concessions to Russia on sanctions and restrictions on the transit of goods from Russia to Kaliningrad, as the Kremlin has traditionally perceived this as a weakness.
Asked whether blocking the transit of sanctioned goods to Kaliningrad would cause “new tensions” in relations with Russia, EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said the two situations could not be compared.
According to him, what is happening in Kaliningrad will not affect the rest of the world, in contrast to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
