Lithuanian restrictions on transit to Kaliningrad anger Russia

Archive photo taken in June 2018 in Kaliningrad, at the time of the World Cup in Russia, whose enclave had hosted matches.

AFP - OZAN KOSE

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

The rag is burning between Moscow and Kaliningrad on one side, Lithuania on the other.

Russia threatened on Monday June 20 to respond to the introduction of restrictions it considers " 

" on the transit of certain goods, via Lithuania, to its European enclave of Kaliningrad.

A consequence of the European sanctions linked to the “special operation” in Ukraine, as the Kremlin says.

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With our correspondent in Moscow,

Located between Poland and Lithuania, on the shores of the Baltic Sea, Kaliningrad is a strategic and militarized territory, an enclave separated from Russian territory.

This shows that the restrictions on the transit of goods represent a major issue.

In Russia, the authorities immediately stepped up to the plate.

Kaliningrad © France 24

Dimitri Peskov, Kremlin spokesman:

This decision is truly unprecedented.

It's a violation of everything.

We understand that this is due to the EU's decision to extend sanctions to transit.

We believe this is also illegal.

The situation is more than serious, it requires in-depth analysis before developing measures and responses.

This in-depth analysis will be done in the days to come.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also spoken, by means of a press release for its part.

Measures described as " 

" lifting 

of restrictions... Otherwise, he said, "

 ".

The Lithuanian charge d'affaires in the Russian capital has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry.

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From our point of view, this is a flagrant violation of the agreements made with the EU when the Baltic republics joined the EU.

We see this as an openly hostile gesture.

The logic of the European sanctions was to restrict trade between the Twenty-Seven and our country.

We had no intention of trading these goods with the EU.

We import goods that we use in our territory or send our products to the territory of the Russian Federation.

While I repeat: the logic of the sanctions was only to restrict trade between the EU and Russia.

Anton Alikhanov, the governor of Kaliningrad, speaks by telephone on Russian television

Anissa El Jabri

Kaliningrad, a strategic territory landlocked by the European Union

Vilnius therefore prohibits, since this weekend, the passage through its territory of goods on the list of European sanctions against Russia.

This concerns in particular construction materials, chemical products or even computers and mobile phones, which have so far passed through Lithuania by train.

Before World War II, Kaliningrad was called Königsberg and belonged to Germany.

When the Nazi regime fell in 1945, this small piece of territory came under Soviet control and changed its name.

Then, when the Baltic countries took their independence, after the end of the USSR, Russia kept its enclave.

The advantage of the Kaliningrad territory is to be spared from the lowest temperatures, and therefore to be accessible by sea even in winter.

A strategic asset at the military level, especially during the Cold War.

Moscow stationed many warships there.

In recent years, especially since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Russia has also sent planes and missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads there, and of reaching the capitals of Western Europe.

In the current context in Ukraine, it is a significant means of pressure.

And that worries the neighbors in the first place: Lithuania, Poland and Sweden.

Justine Fontaine,

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