Blockade of Kaliningrad: Moscow threatens EU member Lithuania

Created: 06/21/2022, 11:15 am

By: Katja Thorwarth

Russia is angered by EU and NATO member Lithuania for blocking rail transit to the Baltic enclave.  

MOSCOW - The Kremlin has reacted angrily to Lithuania's restrictions on rail transit between Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad and the mainland.

The Russian Foreign Ministry accused Lithuania of "openly hostile" restrictions on rail freight traffic, while reserving "the right to take action to protect its national interests".

Meanwhile, Brussels stressed that the measures were in line with EU sanctions, but that the guidelines on the sanctions would be examined.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the Lithuanian chargé d'affaires was summoned to Moscow to protest against the "provocative" measures.

From the Russian point of view, the restriction on the delivery of goods violates an agreement between Russia and the EU from 2002. However, Lithuania's Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis and the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the measures were in line with those imposed by the EU because of the Russian war of aggression against the EU Ukraine imposed sanctions.

Kaliningrad: 40 to 50 percent of Russian imports affected by the blockade

Kaliningrad is located on the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Poland and has no direct land connection to Russia.

The port city is home to the Russian Baltic Sea fleet, and Russia says it has stationed nuclear-capable Iskander missiles there.

Kaliningrad has no direct access to mainland Russia.

© IMAGO/Mikhail Golenkov

Landsbergis said on the sidelines of the EU foreign ministers' consultations in Luxembourg that the transport restrictions would affect steel products and other goods made from iron ore.

As the governor of Kaliningrad, Anton Alikhanov, explained, 40 to 50 percent of imports could be affected by the blockade - in addition to metal, coal, building materials and technological goods.

Ukraine war: relations between Russia and Lithuania strained

The Kremlin spoke of an "unprecedented" decision by Lithuania that violated all principles.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized the seriousness of the situation, which is now being examined with a view to "reactions".

He did not specify the nature of these countermeasures.

The relations between Russia and Lithuania as well as the two other Baltic countries Latvia and Estonia are already extremely tense due to the Ukraine war.

The Baltic states fear becoming the next target of Russian military aggression as the countries belong to both the EU and NATO.

Regarding the freight restrictions, Landsbergis said: "It's not Lithuania that is doing something - it's the European sanctions that came into force on June 17." The restrictions are "in consultation with the European Commission and in accordance with the directives of the European Commission “ has been implemented.

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Ukraine shows solidarity with Lithuania

For his part, EU foreign policy chief Borrell emphasized that it was not a matter of a "blockade" of Kaliningrad, but merely a ban on the transport of certain types of goods.

"Transit by land between Russia has not been stopped or banned," he said at a news conference in Luxembourg.

However, the EU will review the guidelines on sanctions again, Borrell promised.

Meanwhile, Ukraine, which is currently suffering from Russian attacks mainly from the Black Sea, underlined its solidarity with Lithuania.

"Russia has no right to threaten Lithuania," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter.

"We welcome Lithuania's principled position and firmly support our Lithuanian friends." (ktho/AFP)