Deblockade of Kaliningrad

An act of aggression towards Russia.

This is the only way to evaluate the new policy of Lithuania on the transit of goods to the Kaliningrad region.

On the 18th, the Lithuanian authorities banned the transportation of a number of goods (building materials, metals, coal, gasoline, diesel, etc. - almost 50% of the total turnover) along the railway going through the territory of Lithuania to Kaliningrad.

Formally, of course, nothing critical has happened - the sanctioned goods will still get to Kaliningrad through the Baltic Sea.

“We will redistribute the chains for these goods, taking into account ferries and the whole waterway of delivery,” says Dmitry Lyskov, head of the press service of the government of the Kaliningrad region.

However, firstly, the cost of goods for the residents of the Kaliningrad region will inevitably increase due to the new logistics.

Secondly, the very fact of the blockade of Russian territory by Lithuania cannot go unpunished.

Yes, in Vilnius they are justified by the fact that they did not make the decision.

“It's not about the steps taken by Lithuania, but about the sanctions of the European Commission, which began to work on June 17,” says Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.

“The accusations of Lithuania that it has imposed Lithuanian sanctions are lies, pure propaganda,” agrees EU diplomat Josep Borrell.

“Lithuania is only implementing the instructions of the European Commission… prohibiting the transportation of a number of goods through the territory of the European Union.”

In addition, he is categorically against calling the blockade a blockade.

“There is no blockade.

Land transit between Kaliningrad and other regions of Russia is not prohibited.

The transit of passengers and goods not subject to sanctions continues,” the European official assures.

Russia, however, was not satisfied with the assurances of Vilnius and Brussels, and Moscow is threatening the most severe measures.

“The European Union, if it does not immediately correct the impudent trick of Vilnius, will itself disavow for us the legitimacy of all documents on Lithuania’s membership in the EU and will untie the hands to solve the problem of Kaliningrad transit created by Lithuania by any means we choose,” says Senator Andrey Klimov.

“The European Union has been in need of repair for a long time, so we can start doing it by modifying some structures in its eastern part,” hints Andrey Kolesnik, State Duma deputy from the Kaliningrad region.

“Lithuania must understand that the characterization of Vilnius’s actions regarding transit to Kaliningrad as hostile means that now there is no time for talk,” Maria Zakharova assures.

According to presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russia will conduct a "deep analysis" of what is happening over the "coming days."

After that, probably, Russia will respond.

The answer will be determined, of course, by the Kremlin.

However, the correct option, in our opinion, would be a multi-vector response.

First, it is necessary to denounce the Russian-Lithuanian border treaty of 2003.

Let the Lithuanians themselves, the European bureaucrats, and Lithuania's partners in NATO get nervous.

Secondly, it is necessary to introduce the maximum possible economic sanctions against Lithuania - in particular, the termination of the transit of Russian cargo through the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda (and at the same time, in order not to get up twice, and through the ports of Latvia - the Latvians also deserve it in aggregate).

Let them look for money and income elsewhere.

And finally, thirdly, we need to hit the decision-making centers in Kyiv.

After all, oddly enough, the buildings of the Ukrainian General Staff and the Ministry of Defense that are still standing in their place are directly related to the situation that has developed around Kaliningrad.

The fact is that in international relations the deterrent is not so much force as the determination to use it.

That is why, for example, the United States bullies the strong but indecisive Chinese and Germans, but at the same time tries to sidestep issues concerning the less powerful but more determined Iranians and the North Koreans.

On February 24, when Russia showed determination, the West realized that it, too, needed to be bypassed along the wall.

And do not cross the established red lines.

However, when the Ukrainian authorities began to violate these lines (in particular, shelling Russian cities and - now - drilling platforms), and Russia, which did not rule out strikes on decision-making centers, refrained from these strikes, the West grew bolder.

There is little demand from the European bureaucrats, but the same Germany, which in a different situation would have hit the hands of the Lithuanians, has now kept silent on the principle “maybe the Russians will not dare.”

It's time to use Ukrainian decision-making centers to demonstrate determination to everyone.

After that, there will probably be a sharp sobering up in the EU and Brussels will back down.

Moreover, the European Union has opportunities for reversing without much loss of face.

As the governor of the Kaliningrad region Anton Alikhanov noted absolutely correctly, sanctions do not prohibit the transit of Russian goods from Russia to Russia.

According to Mr. Alikhanov, the official documents on the ban cited by Brussels contain the English word transfer, which in legal language means transfer, not transit.

“That is, the transfer from Russian legal entities or individuals to EU entities.

In the case of the Kaliningrad transit, it is clear that there is no transfer to the persons of the European Union, there is a transit.

It's a different word and a different legal definition.

The word transfer is not a definition of the word “transit”, that is, they are not synonyms,” the governor assures.

So, you can always say that they didn’t figure it out, and lift the blockade of Kaliningrad.

And take it off on time.

The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.