Russia warned on Tuesday (21st) that it would take “serious” measures as the European Union and NATO member Lithuania imposed restrictions on rail transit to Kaliningrad due to Western sanctions against Moscow.
“Russia will of course react to these hostile acts. Appropriate measures are being worked out at the inter-ministerial level and will be adopted soon,” Russian Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev said during his visit to Kaliningrad. It is located between Russia, Lithuania, Poland and the Baltic Sea.
“There will be serious negative consequences for the Lithuanian people,” added Patrushev, quoted by the Interfax news agency.
Russia on Monday said that Lithuania is imposing restrictions on rail traffic to the Kaliningrad region over the weekend as part of European sanctions on the occupation of Ukraine.
Home to the Russian fleet in the Baltic Sea, this strategic and militarized region borders Lithuania and Poland, two NATO and European Union member states that have resolutely supported Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict.
In response, the head of the EU delegation to Russia, Markus Ederer, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow on Tuesday.
In response, the United States responded to Russian threats by offering support to Lithuania. “We stand behind our NATO allies and support Lithuania,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.
In a statement, Russian diplomacy on Tuesday accused the EU of fomenting a “tension” and demanded the immediate reinstatement of the transition to Kaliningrad.
The text drew attention to the “inadmissibility of such actions, which violate the legal and political obligations of the European Union and lead to escalation”.
Condemning a “blockade”, Kaliningrad governor Anton Alikhanov estimates that between 40 and 50 percent of the enclave’s imports could be restricted, from coal to metals, building materials and technological products.
Some residents in the area told AFP they were not worried as authorities had assured that goods could be delivered by sea.
“Of course, the sanctions will leave their mark on our region” […] But I think the government will find a solution to this situation very quickly and everything will be resolved in the near future,” he said.
36-year-old sailor Semen Shchegolyatov said Russia was surprised by the restrictions because the sanctions are expected to affect the transit of goods.
“Four months ago, special operations started, we were informed as a sailor going to Lithuania,” he explained, reminding that the only solution now is to develop a sea route.
source: Noticias
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