Moscow threatens Lithuania with retaliation over Kaliningrad transit restrictions

Lithuania has restricted the transit of certain goods in line with European Union (EU) sanctions, which entered into force on 18 June, but Russia calls it on the blockade of the Kaliningrad region.

“There is no doubt that Russia will react to such hostile actions. Appropriate measures are currently being developed in an inter-institutional format and will be adopted in the near future. The consequences will have a significant negative impact on the Lithuanian population,” .

He said the situation on the border with Russia’s northwestern federal state was “in the context of an increase in the North Atlantic bloc’s military and intelligence presence at Russia’s state border, as well as unprecedented political, informational and economic pressure from the West.”

Patrushev said that “the blockade initiated by Lithuania at the behest of the West” is an example of the fact that “neither oral nor written statements of the West may be relied upon.”

On Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned EU Ambassador to Moscow Markus Ederer to protest against “unilateral restrictions on the transit of cargo between the Kaliningrad region and the rest of the Russian Federation”.

The EU ambassador to the ministry has been told that such actions violate the bloc’s legal and political obligations and “contribute to escalating tensions”. Moscow has demanded the immediate lifting of all restrictions on cargo transit, warning that otherwise retaliatory measures will be taken.

On Tuesday, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonīte emphasized that Vilnius had not interpreted EU sanctions and had not blocked the Kaliningrad region.

“There is no blockade of Kaliningrad. Sanctions have simply come into force since last weekend on certain goods included in the so-called sanctions package, namely steel and ferrous metals, and thus railway customers or contractors are aware of the application of these sanctions and that the loading and unloading of these goods transportation is not possible, “Šimonīte told reporters in Vilnius.

She emphasized that the transport of all other non-sanctioned goods as well as the flow of passengers was not restricted.

Šimonīte reminded that with a gesture of good will, Lithuania has not suspended the agreement on the transit of Russian citizens to and from the Kaliningrad region, when Russia could not pay for this service due to the sanctions imposed on its banks.

“I do not know if there is another international agreement that it has not violated,” said the Lithuanian prime minister, ironically calling Russia’s accusations that the transit restrictions were a violation of international law.

On Tuesday, Lithuanian Ambassador to the EU Arnold Pranckevich called on Vilnius to refute Russia’s misinformation about transit restrictions and not to succumb to panic attempts.

“It is important not to justify Russia, but to refute Russia’s message of disinformation that Lithuania is allegedly implementing the blockade of Kaliningrad,” he told the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT.

He recalled that the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Joseph Borrell, said on Monday that “Lithuania has not imposed any unilateral national restrictions and is only applying EU sanctions.”

It has already been reported that the governor of the Kaliningrad region, Anton Alihanov, announced on Saturday that LTG Cargo, a freight subsidiary of the Lithuanian state railway company Lietuvos Geležinkeliai, had informed Russian enclave railway operators of a ban on carrying many goods from June 18 due to sanctions.

The governor said that the ban will affect 40-50% of goods exported to and imported from other regions of Russia and transported through Lithuania. These include building materials, cement and metal products.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has indicated that EU sanctions on the import and transit of Russian steel and other iron products into the bloc territory will take effect on June 17. Such a ban is included in the EU’s fourth sanctions package, adopted on 15 March.

On Monday, the ministry submitted a note to Moscow’s Chargé d’Affaires Sergei Ryabokon explaining the implementation of restrictions imposed by the European Union (EU) between the Kaliningrad region and Russia.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Lithuania’s Chargé d’Affaires Virginia Umbrasien on Monday to protest the transit ban “without warning” and demand its immediate lifting.

“If the transit of cargo between the Kaliningrad region and the rest of the Russian Federation through Lithuania is not fully resumed soon, Russia reserves the right to take action to protect its national interests,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Rail passenger traffic with the Kaliningrad region passes through the territory of Lithuania without any changes, but the planes fly over the Baltic Sea because the airspace of the EU countries is closed to Russia.

Kaliningrad, formerly the East Prussian port city of Königsberg, was captured by Nazi Germany in April 1945 and annexed by the Red Army after World War II. Russia’s territory on the Baltic coast now borders NATO members Lithuania and Poland.

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