This was announced on June 30 at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum by Deputy Head of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, he was quoted by the Russian propaganda agency “RIA Novosti” в Telegram.
“Under certain circumstances, such hostile measures can be qualified as an act of international aggression. And even as a casus belli,” Medvedev said. “In response to them, the state has the right to individual and collective self-defense.”
Casus belli is a legal term from the time of Roman law, a formal reason for declaring war.
Context:
After a full-scale Russian invasion to Ukraine on February 24, the West imposed several packages of sanctions against Russia.
From June 18 “Lithuanian Railways” stopped transit from the Kaliningrad region and to the region from other regions of Russia goods subject to European sanctions. As a result, almost half of the goods transported to the Kaliningrad region of Russia, including building materials, fell under the restrictions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Lithuania’s decision illegal. The RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chargé d’Affaires of Lithuania Virginia Umbrasene, according to RIA Novosti, stated “that if cargo transit to the Kaliningrad region is not restored in full in the near future, Russia reserves the right to take actions to protect its national interests.” Member of the Federation Council Andrei Klishas said that what is happening “can be the basis for very tough and absolutely legal actions”.
On June 20, it became known that The Baltic Fleet of Russia began exercises in the Kaliningrad regionwhich is the westernmost region of Russia, has no land border with other regions of the country and borders on Poland and Lithuania.
Ban on transit to Kaliningrad through Lithuania in EU sanctions against Russia applies only to sub-sanctioned goods contrary to the statements of the Russian Federation about the “blockade” of the region, said Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas.
June 22 Lithuania banned the transit of certain goods to the Kaliningrad region of Russia not only by rail, but also by road.
According to ex-NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Alliance will do everything possible to avoid the escalation of the conflict between the Russian Federation and Lithuania, which has been a member of the North Atlantic Alliance since 2004.
“And if theoretically this battle had taken place between NATO and Russia, then, of course, NATO would have won. Because the Alliance is more powerful than the Russian Federation. I don’t think that [президент РФ Владимир] Putin will ever dare to attack Lithuania. We are not afraid of Putin“, summed up the former Secretary General of the Alliance.
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