Little Lithuania started playing Moscow on its nerves. Information about the fact that it is starting to block Russian transit to Königligz caused stormy reactions there.
Let's remember. The leader of the governing Lithuanian Social Democratic organization Mindaugas Sinkevičius announced the anticipation of blocking rail and road transit to Körewiec. As he stressed, this would be a consequence to Russia's increasingly aggressive action and Belarus' support.
In an interview with the TASS agency, 1 of the Russian deputies warned that the transit blockade to the Kingship could be treated as an act of war, in accordance with Russian military doctrine.
“The blocking of any of the entities of the Russian Federation is tantamount to the declaration of war,” threatened Andrei Kolesnik. He besides recalled that the Kaliningrad region is surrounded by NATO states, which could lead to a wide conflict in the event of escalation.
Lithuania can break like this celebrated balloon. In fact, the full country is specified a balloon – he spoke to another portal.
Russian threats to Lithuania. Historical Associations
Associations in Poland? any go back a fewer decades. They are reminded of emotions from the time erstwhile the Germans demanded Poland's approval to build an extraterritorial road through Pomerania to East Prussia. And their demands became part of the political force leading to aggression against Poland.
Today Russia is threatening Lithuania in the context of Kaliningrad, sanctions and transit restrictions, as well as the presence of NATO troops in the region. Again, we hear military threats becoming part of political force to force concessions.
Of course, there's nothing to look forward to with specified conclusions. But the fresh Prime Minister of Lithuania does not have an easy start.
Inga Ruginienė has been the head of the government since August this year. She is the 3rd female in this position in the past of Lithuania. According to the BBC "she was described as Lithuania's most left-wing prime minister since regaining independency from the USSR in 1990".
Poles may associate her with the Polish-Lithuanian match erstwhile she sat next to Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the stadium in Kaunas. "Today, rivals on the football field – everywhere else, the closest allies and friends around the world" she wrote on social media.
In any case, Rugiene has placed defence as the primary precedence of her government. And in fresh weeks it can test this in practice, due to the fact that on the Lithuania-Belarus-Russia line it has been boiling for weeks.
Everyone's talking about the balloon crisis. Opponents of the Lithuanian government have the addition of specified usage as right hand in Poland, thundering about the inability of power. Just look at the Lithuanian comments. From the slogans "communists" to the cooking. "The opposition should not only criticize the rulers, but besides offer something better in this peculiar situation," the another organization responds.
However, the current crisis seems to have no end.
Balloons from Belarus over Lithuania, reaction at Vilnius airport
Meteorological and smuggling balloons with cigaret packages – Lithuania has been struggling with them for a week. They fly into its airspace from Belarus, disrupt air traffic and pose a threat to aircraft. due to them, Vilnius Airport has been closed respective times.
Last time – Sunday night on Monday 23/24 November. In addition, traffic at the airport was halted twice within 24 hours. "We inform that individual flight delays may happen throughout the day" – reported in the latest airport message.
According to media reports, respective twelve balloons would appear over Lithuania and Latvia.
The Lithuanian authorities talk about a "hybrid attack" aimed at destabilising and putting force on their country. Not the first 1 here.
In late October, Lithuania closed border crossings with Belarus due to balloon incidents. It was reopened after a fewer weeks, only a fewer days ago. However, it turned out that around 4.5 1000 Lithuanian trucks (plus goods worth around EUR 60 million) could not leave Belarus anyway. The Lithuanian MFA considered it "extortion and blackmail".
Prime Minister Inga Rugiene has already announced that Lithuania does not exclude the re-opening of the border. "Today we see that we can open borders, but we do not exclude their re-closure without time limit if the situation begins to deteriorate," she said.
Litvin reactions? There are quite a few mocking comments online about "according to the Prime Minister, the balloon crisis is under control." "And the government inactive believes that it has overcome this crisis?" questions arise.
And here we go back to the Rabbit.
Prediction of transit restrictions to the Rabbit
The media reported that Lithuania could suspend the transit of Russian oil and fuel to the royal region by the end of October. In consequence to the balloon incidents, the president of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, proposed to restrict transit to the royal circuit and close the border with Belarus.
"Lithuania retains the right to close transit to Körewiec, if essential to guarantee national safety of the state", said Minister of abroad Affairs Kęstutis Budrys in his interview with the LRT Radio.
At the time, WP.pl reported what a stir this announcement caused in Królewiec – that the subject dominated Russian news services, and the local business in Królewiec was beating the alarm.
"Sergey Goz, president of the Baltic Business Club warned that specified a decision could paralyze the supply of the region and force the transfer of goods through Baltic ports," wrote the portal.
In a conversation with him Witold Janczys, writer and writer from Lithuania, explained Lithuania's sharp reaction. As he stated, it is justified due to the fact that Lithuania must definitely end the ballooning process, "because the consequences are real". If – as he explained – "airspace disruptions will repeat, no airlines will make connections with Vilnius, and this will hit the economy and mobility of the full region".
The publicist besides pointed to the deterrent function of specified a reaction. "This is simply a circumstantial "nuclear option" in global relations: it is easier to announce extremist limitations than actually implement them. But if these declarations are to be credible, they must go hand in hand with circumstantial method and legal solutions," he said.
Information about the transit blockade in Polish social media caused utmost reactions. any respond, "Good for Lithuania". Others: "Looking for a tumor", "Imperium Lithuanian springs muscles".
Lithuania already in 2022 restricted the transit to Köniver
Lithuania has already once, in 2022, restricted the transit of certain goods across its territory to the royal region – it has done so in accordance with EU sanctions imposed on Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine.
This caused sharp reactions from Russia, which threatened with "serious consequences". "The effort by Lithuania to establish a real blockade of the Kaliningrad region is simply a violation of Russia's sovereignty in this region" – thundered 1 of the Russian deputies Andrei Kliszas.
– This is simply a violation of all agreements – Dmitri Pieskov, the spokesperson for Vladimir Putin, responded.
And propaganda Russian media, you don't even request to remember how they lived at that time "the blockade of the King" and "the provocation of the West".
