Russia warns Lithuania of serious consequences over Kaliningrad blockade

Moscow, Jun 21 (EFE).- Russia on Tuesday warned Lithuania that its decision to partially block the transport of goods to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad would have serious consequences.

“Of course, Russia will respond to hostile actions. Appropriate measures are in the works, and will be adopted in the near future,” Russian security council secretary Nikolai Patrushev said during a visit to Kaliningrad, according to local media.

They will “have a serious negative impact on the people of Lithuania,” he added.

During the visit, Patrushev held talks with Kaliningrad authorities on the “problems of transport accessibility” to the region, security council spokesperson Evgueni Anoshin said.

Kaliningrad is an exclave that is cut off from the rest of Russia and borders two European Union and Nato countries — Lithuania and Poland.

When Lithuania joined the EU in 2004, it agreed to allow civilian and military transit move between the exclave and Russia through Lithuanian territory.

Lithuanian authorities made the decision to restrict rail traffic through its territory in the direction of Kaliningrad starting Saturday, as part of the EU sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Russia called on the European Union to lift the partial goods block that prevented the enclave from between 40 to 50% of the total imports according to Kaliningrad governor Anton Alikhanov.

The Russian foreign ministry summoned the European Union ambassador Markus Ederer to protest the move.

“We demanded that the normal functioning of the Kaliningrad transit is restored immediately,” the ministry said in a statement. EFE

mos/ta