Lithuania Bans Transit of Sanctioned Goods to Kaliningrad 立陶宛:執行歐盟制裁 封鎖俄借道陸路運輸

On June 18, a Lithuanian ban on the rail transit of goods that are subject to EU sanctions through its territory to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad took effect. Russia has threatened to retaliate, while the EU called on Russia to be cool-headed.

Residents of Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave sandwiched between Lithuania and EU and NATO member Poland are currently feeling frightened and regretful, because goods can no longer enter.

Kaliningrad Resident: “Maybe prices will grow, or there will be no goods that we use at all.”

Officials called on residents to remain calm and not panic buy. They said there are two ships carrying goods between Kaliningrad and St. Petersburg, and they will be joined by seven more before the end of the year. 

Dmitry Lyskov, Head, Dept. of Info. Policy, Gov't of Kaliningrad Region: “Let's not forget that our neighbors earn good money on Kaliningrad transit.”

Kaliningrad is located on the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Poland. It's a Russian exclave, which means it has no land borders with Russia. Trains need to pass through Lithuania to get to Kaliningrad. On June 18, Lithuania implemented a ban on the rail transit of goods that are subject to EU sanctions through its territory to Kaliningrad. The goods include coal, metals, construction materials, and advanced technology. The governor of Kaliningrad said the ban affects 50 percent of imported goods. Lithuania's actions triggered Russia's wrath and Russia issued a warning.

Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary, Russian Security Council: “Russia will certainly respond to such hostile actions. Appropriate measures are being worked out between departments and will be taken in the near future. Their consequences will have a serious, negative impact on the population of Lithuania.”

On June 21, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the EU's envoy in Moscow to make its displeasure known and demand that the ban be revoked. The EU asked Russia to remain cool-headed.

Markus Ederer, EU's Ambassador to Moscow: “The EU position (is) that there is no such thing as a banning of transit, there is no such thing as a blockade. I appeal to the Russian side to remain cool-headed, not to escalate.”

Lithuania said it has not blocked transport to Kaliningrad, and all it did was comply with EU sanctions. Kaliningrad was formerly called Konigsberg, which was the capital of East Prussia. After World War II ended in 1945, it was occupied by the Soviet Union's Red Army and incorporated into the Soviet Union's territory. Its location is of strategic importance to Russia and it's also an important port. Russia is now likely to establish more sea and air routes.

夾在歐盟及北約成員國波蘭跟立陶宛之間的加里寧格勒居民，覺得恐懼、遺憾；俄羅斯飛地加里寧格勒現在一堆貨物進不來。

加里寧格勒居民說：「也許物價會上漲，或我們常用的貨物將不會進來。」

官員呼籲居民不要恐慌性購買，表示已經有兩艘船在加里寧格勒跟聖彼得堡之間運送貨物，另外還有艘船今年年底前會加入。

加里寧格勒政府代表林斯科夫表示：「大家別忘記，我們的鄰國，在加里寧格勒過境時賺了不少錢。」

加里寧格勒臨波羅的海，位於立陶宛、波蘭之間，是俄羅斯的飛地，也就是跟俄國沒有陸地接壤，周圍被其他國家包圍，鐵路運輸需借道立陶宛 。立陶宛18號開始，依歐盟對俄羅斯的制裁，將加里寧格勒進出口大量貨品所使用的鐵路封鎖；歐盟制裁清單上主要有煤炭、金屬、建築材料，以及先進技術，加里寧格勒州長阿里漢諾夫表示，禁令涵蓋當地進口約50%的貨品。立陶宛此舉引發俄羅斯的憤怒跟警告。

俄羅斯聯邦安全會議秘書長派特魯舍夫表示：「俄羅斯必定會對這種敵對行動做出回應，相關後果將對立陶宛人民，造成嚴重負面影響。」

俄羅斯外交部21號召見歐盟駐俄大使強烈抗議、要求解除禁令；歐盟則呼籲俄方冷靜。

歐盟駐莫斯科大使埃德勒表示：「歐盟立場是沒有禁止過境的說法、沒有封鎖的說法，我呼籲俄方保持冷靜，不要(將局勢)升級。」

立陶宛強調，並未封鎖加里寧格勒運輸，只是依歐盟制裁採取行動，有鑑於莫斯科在烏克蘭的軍事行動，如今聽到莫斯科的抱怨，相當諷刺。加里寧格勒的前身是東普魯士首府哥尼斯堡的港口，1945年二戰末期，遭蘇聯紅軍佔領並納為領土，這塊飛地具有俄國重要戰略地位，也是重要港市，陸路運輸切斷，俄方海運及空運勢必增加。