A 'CUT-OFF' REGION

Lithuania Banned the Rail Transit Of Goods To Kaliningrad

Lithuania Banned On The Rail Transit Of Goods To Kaliningrad

Lithuania has recently banned on the rail transit of goods subject to European Union sanctions to the Russian far-western exclave of Kaliningrad. The EU sanctions list notably includes coal, metals, construction materials & advanced technology. The ban covers approximately 50% of the items that Kaliningrad imports. A fresh wave of “intense” cyber-attacks was initiated by Russia in response to standoff over cyber-attacks. However, Kaliningrad receives supplies from Russia via rail and gas pipelines through Lithuania. The resumption of transit from Kaliningrad via Lithuania was immediately demanded from the EU by Russia. Even though the ban was known in advance since it was introduced as part of the fourth package of European Union sanctions, Russia began to concern about a “blockade” of the region Kaliningard & the need to “protect its national security.”

Kaliningrad Geographical Locations

Kaliningrad, an ice-free port on the Baltic Sea, is a unique part of Russia, and is cut off from the rest of the country - the Russian mainland is 300 miles (480km) to the east. Kaliningrad is one of the wealthier regions of Russia & has many industries. Round the year, Kaliningrad serves as a warm water port for Russia, which means Russia’s shipping operations in & out of the exclave don’t get hindered due to harsh winters. Kaliningrad (or Königsberg as it was known) was seized from Germany at the end of World War II by the Red Army, with the Potsdam Agreement later that year placing it under Soviet administration. The region is armed with nuclear-capable missiles and has about 1 million residents. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Kaliningrad suddenly found itself a Russian exclave in the heart of Europe. It's sandwiched between Poland & Lithuania, both members of the European Union & NATO. For supplies Kaliningrad is heavily dependent on transit routes through Lithuania. But Lithuania began to implement EU sanctions on certain Russian goods - including construction materials from this month & won't allow them to transit through Lithuanian territory to Kaliningrad. 

Tension Between EU and Russia

Tensions have been flared up between the EU and Russia by the disrupted transport. The Iskander missiles, also referred to as SS-26 Stone by NATO, with the range of about 300 miles, or up to 500 kms had been deployed to the exclave on the Baltic Sea & can carry either nuclear or conventional warheads. In the coming days, Lithuanian services are bracing for fiercer attacks. Such or even more intense attacks may go on into the coming days, especially against the energy, communications & financial sectors. While many member states in the bloc were eager to defuse the standoff, several others bridled at the prospect of diluting sanctions in response to Russia’s threats that weakening sanctions would amount to “appeasement.” 

Lithuania in Trouble

Lithuania is in for some big trouble. Vilnius has claimed that it has complied with EU sanctions against Russia. That gives Russia even more reason to ‘punish’ Europe as a whole. The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania are worried the war between Ukraine & Russia may spill over into their territories. The Suwalki Gap, is a 65-km (40-mile) strip of land in Poland along the border with Lithuania forging a connection between Kaliningrad and Belarus, is what they are concerned Russia is seeking to lay claim to. The Suwalki Gap’s loss would mean the loss of a land corridor to the rest of the NATO countries.

New Flashpoint in the War 

The exclave can turn out to be a new flashpoint of the war in Ukraine, as Lithuania has been warned by Russia of "serious consequences" for its application of European Union sanctions on certain products, including Russian iron, steel, coal, oil, & steel. However, the Baltic state has not budged a bit and got stick with the blockade, which is part of the EU's sanctions response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The conflict is dragging into its fifth month & has seen thousands of die & millions displaced in a European refugee crisis. Russia is reportedly considering its options. A response from Moscow is imminent. The Kremlin has already claimed that the people of Lithuania are about to suffer, it does not take a genius guess to realise that military operations are very much on the table. Unlike in Ukraine, which is not a NATO member, any move by Russia to establish a land bridge between Kaliningrad & Belarus will risk direct war with NATO