• Crisis Russia warns Lithuanians that they will suffer from the blockade of Kaliningrad

Moscow's response to Lithuania

's veto of

the transit of EU-sanctioned goods to the Russian enclave of

Kaliningrad

will not be exclusively diplomatic but of a practical nature, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman warned on Wednesday.

"One of the main questions has been whether the reaction would be exclusively diplomatic. The answer: no," Maria Zajarova told her weekly briefing.

"The answer will not be diplomatic but practical."

Zakharova did not elaborate on the nature of those practical steps that Russia plans to take against Lithuania.

Lithuania has notified the Kaliningrad region that, since June 18, it

blocks the transit of goods subject to EU sanctions

: construction materials, metal, wood, cement, fertilizers, alcohol, caviar and some other categories of goods.

Until August 10, the transit of petroleum derivatives to Kaliningrad through Lithuanian territory may continue.

Kaliningrad authorities will need a few weeks to

redirect the transit of goods sanctioned by the EU and blocked on the Lithuanian railway to sea transport

, reported the governor of the Russian province of Kaliningrad, Anton Alijanov.

Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev plans to brief Russian President

Vladimir Putin

on the results of his working trip to the Kaliningrad region, where he discussed the situation with local authorities yesterday.

During his visit to the Russian region, wedged between Poland and Lithuania, Patrushev warned that the blockade of products bound for Kaliningrad would have consequences for the Lithuanians.

He also attacked the West

, involving Germany in an alleged plot to destabilize the Russian region

.

"The attempt by German-controlled organizations to create German autonomy in the Kaliningrad province has been neutralized," the Russian Security Council secretary said.


The governor affirmed today that the reorientation of the transit of merchandise

will not cause delays in its supply.

"Since the Lithuanian side used to hold up shipments for days at both the Belarusian and Russian borders, the delivery times will be identical," he clarified.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis made it clear on Monday that the decision was made after consultation with the European Commission.

Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Peskov called Lithuania's decision unprecedented and illegal, saying that "it is a blocking element" and that Russia would respond in a matter of days, after thoroughly analyzing the matter.

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

Know more