The war in Ukraine has heightened fears of opening a new front between Russia and the West. Russia has warned Lithuania of serious consequences after the Baltic side banned the rail transit of some goods to Russian territory in Kaliningrad. Due to the latest Russian-Lithuanian conflict, the Russian authorities have widely used the word “war” and the tone has become markedly threatening.
Moscow is urging the European Union to re-establish transit links with Kaliningrad via Lithuania immediately and is threatening a serious response. “Russia will certainly respond to such hostilities. Appropriate measures are being discussed and will be taken in the near future. The consequences of them will have a serious negative impact on the population of Lithuania, “said Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Nikolai Patrushev.
EU: There is no question of a blockade of Kaliningrad
The ambassador of the 27 was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry and called on Moscow to refrain from actions and words that lead to escalation. Lithuanian authorities have denied the Russian allegations and said there was no blockade of Kaliningrad. According to Vilnius, restrictions on some goods in the sanctions package, such as steel and iron, have been in place since late last week.
“Lithuania has no interest in escalation, but sanctions must be applied. It is ironic for this country to talk about violating international treaties, because I do not see any violation of its treaty, “said Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Shimonite.
Lithuanians living near Kaliningrad do not hide their worries, but they do not panic.
“I do not panic. “I don’t think anything bad will happen, because Lithuania is in NATO, in the European Union, and I don’t believe they will attack us,” said Vitalius Sidiskis. According to Laima Kudirkiene, no one knows what will happen. “We are not preparing to run, we are staying here. I was born here, my home is here, we will stay here as long as we can “, she is categorical.
Kaliningrad, with a population of nearly 1 million, is a strategic Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania that has no border with mainland Russia. Until the spring of 1945, it bore the German name Koenigsberg, but was destroyed by the Soviet army. Prior to Lithuania’s accession to the European Union, Russia negotiated the so-called Suwalki Corridor, which supplies goods in transit from Belarus to Kaliningrad.
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