Lithuania's actions to impose blockade on Kaliningrad may trigger another war in Europe

Russia will defend its interests if Lithuania does not resume cargo transit through its territory to the Kaliningrad enclave, a message posted on the official website of the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The Russian side reserves the right to act to protect its national interests if Lithuania does not fully restore cargo transit between the Kaliningrad region and the rest of the territory of the Russian Federation in the near future.

Earlier, the Lithuanian Railways notified Kaliningrad of the termination of the transit of goods subject to EU sanctions from June 18. According to preliminary estimates, the restriction will affect from 40 to 50 percent of the range of goods, including construction materials and metals.

Later, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Charge d'Affaires of Lithuania Virginia Umbrasene and "demanded the restrictions should be lifted immediately."

Russia to take tough measures to protect Kaliningrad

Russia will be forced to take tough measures to protect Kaliningrad as social conditions in the enclave worsen due to Lithuania's decision to terminate freight transit to KAliningrad. Moscow will be able to use any methods, Sergei Tsekov, a member of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs said.

"I agree that we can take any measures, and the current situation provides additional opportunities. In fact, they take it all back to the Middle Ages, when individual cities and territories would be blocked and exterminated with the use of various methods to cause them to capitulate. They act similarly to how Ukraine was acting towards the Crimea, when Kyiev terminated transport communication, water and electricity supplies to Crimea," the senator said.

"Let them look at Ukraine and think what other methods we can use," Sergei Tsekov added.

According to Sergei Tsekov, the reason for Russia's "decisive action" could be the deterioration in the living standards of the residents of the Russian enclave.

"Russia may resort to tough measures should the situation in the Kaliningrad region aggravate to critical due to the blockade — in terms of food, energy supplies, in social terms. If Lithuania continues acting the way it is acting now causing a very difficult situation to develop in the region, Russia may take very tough actions,” the senator told lenta.ru publication.

Moscow will see how the European Union and the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance react when solving the problem of the Kaliningrad blockade with Lithuania, the senator said.

Meanwhile, Kremlin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Lithuania's decision to restrict freight transit through the Kaliningrad enclave unprecedented.

"The situation is more than serious in this regard. It requires a very deep analysis before formulating any measures and any decisions. An in-depth analysis will be carried out over the next few days,” he said.

Senator Andrei Klimov said that the EU would need to work to improve the situation with the blockade of Kaliningrad. Otherwise, Moscow will have "a free hand" to solve the problem "by any means," he added.

Former Ukrainian diplomat Rostislav Ishchenko claimed that the transport blockade could become a pretext for another war, since Vilnius violated Moscow's right to access its territory.

• On June 18, Lithuania stopped the transit of sanctioned goods through Kaliningrad. The Lithuanian Railways (LTG Cargo) sent a corresponding notification to the authorities of the Kaliningrad region.
• The ban will affect from 40 to 50 percent of all goods that were transported between the Kaliningrad region and other Russian regions.
• For the time being, the authorities of the Kaliningrad enclave plan to conduct freight transportations by sea, RIA Novosti reports.

Noteworthy, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that the decision was made jointly with the European Commission.