Lithuania’s president on Wednesday said the Baltic nation is prepared for Russian retaliation over its decision to block the transit of sanctioned goods to Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave sandwiched in between Lithuania and Poland.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told Reuters that Vilnius is ready for “unfriendly steps” such as Russia cutting the Baltic nation from a shared power grid, but doesn’t expect a military response.
The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are still dependent on Russia for power but have plans to disconnect from the grid by 2025. Lithuania has installed a power link the Poland that can connect the country to an EU power grid if the Russian supply is suddenly cut off.
While Lithuania has a small military, it’s not afraid of Russian military action due to its NATO membership. “I do not believe that Russia will challenge us in military sense, because we are a NATO member,” Nauseda said.
Also on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the EU and Lithuania have been notified of Moscow’s objection to the embargo on Kaliningrad and that if the policy isn’t changed, any retaliation would be “practical” and would go beyond diplomatic measures.
Lithuania has tried to downplay the move by saying it is only enforcing EU sanctions, but the embargo is a serious escalation with Moscow as Kaliningrad relies heavily on goods from Russia that travel through Belarus and Lithuania by rail.
Nothing transits through Poland, leaving shipments via the Baltic Sea the only way Russia will be able to transport sanctioned items to the enclave. The governor of Kaliningrad estimates that the ban will impact about 50% of all goods that are sent to the territory by rail.
To offset the ban, items that are not under sanctions that are transported by sea will be redirected to rail, leaving more room to transport sanctioned goods via ship. The ban currently applies to steel, coal, caviar, alcohol, and other goods, and is expected to expand as the EU plans to expand its Russia sanctions.
The Russians have two big ports to use for shipping goods to Kaliningrad, capable of about 150,000,000 tons of shipping between them. Poking the Bear in the eye is pretty dumb, but it looks like more of an inconvenience than anything really harmful to me. I wonder what “practical measures” would be commensurate with this latest provocation?
“….Lithuania has installed a power link the Poland that can connect the country to an EU power grid if the Russian supply is suddenly cut off…”
and who says that Russia couldn’t take out that connection with just one or two missiles?
these racist russiaphobic Baltic states have big mouths because they think that Russia won’t some day any day respond militarily – which is most likely the case, I admit…..
But who can say for sure…. if and when these economic sanctions wars will become a hot war …
and who says that Russia couldn’t take out that connection with just one or two missiles?
Even better than a missile, which can be traced back to its source, would be anonymous operatives on the ground, blowing up transmission tower(s). Plausible deniability, or even implausible deniability, is better than being caught with the gun in your hand.
Emotions are raging. But please don’t forget that this site was organized to oppose war.
Thank you, that’s an important point. However, the site is also anti-imperialist and this particular war is nothing if not a consequence of imperial overreach.
For the United States! Other countries can destroy each other if they want – just keep our noses out of it.
A few cyber attacks would produce uncertainty that would be economically devastating. If those lines really do exist and work at all — trust the promises of a politician making boasts?
“….Lithuania has installed a power link the Poland that can connect the country to an EU power grid if the Russian supply is suddenly cut off…”
and who says that Russia couldn’t take out that connection with just one or two missiles?
these racist russiaphobic Baltic states have big mouths because they think that Russia won’t some day any day respond militarily – which is most likely the case, I admit…..
But who can say for sure…. if and when these economic sanctions wars will become a hot war …
All that tough guy act is just a front. With U.S. Marines having rainbow colored theme in support of homosexuality. I wouldn’t bet the farm that the west is prepared for total war.
I knew a Marine once who won the Silver Star on Guadalcanal after his lover — who was also his platoon commander — was killed in action there.
Maybe all armies will fight harder if they ship their lovers to the front with them?
Since The Sacred Band of Thebes in 4th Century BC. It is human nature, and does not change.
Good. I’ll take peace any way we can get it. By the way, I know a gay dude that can bench over 400.
These states feel way too comfortable with a NATO membership.
NATO is way too self satisfied with its presumed invulnerability.
I don’t think they’re ready for the Russian retaliaton for blocking Russian access to what is their equivalent of Alaska.
Certainly not the EU or the US who have the order are ready for that kind of humiliation (again). Russia granted the Lithuanians independence on the condition of keeping that link open. That agreement is now violated and if Russia decides to legally take back half of that “country” or all of it, Nato/US won’t do sh*t.
They continue to lash out emotionally without thinking through the consequences. Play stupid games win stupid prizes.
Lithuania is acting stupidly. America pretty much runs NATO, and America is notorious for breaking promises whenever it’s convenient. Russia will find a way to punish Lithuania that won’t get NATO involved.
And Israel runs the US. Adress the head of the octopus.
Nice they have a “link” to the Polish grid. Except that, of course, all of Europe’s grid is under heavy stress, due to the loss of Russian gas; Germany, with by far the largest electric grid in the region, is facing the reopening of coal powered plants, as is the Netherlands. The LAST thing they need is for a hubristic midget like Lithuania to increase the stress after Russia shuts their grid down. Blackouts all around? But hey, they made a “point”.
I noticed that Germany is telling France that it was Russia that blocked the deliveries.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/gas-flows-france-germany-halted-after-russia-reduces-supplies-2022-06-17/
Finger pointing all around. Wait until high summer hits and demand increases, if Russia further shuts off deliveries and cuts off the Lithuanian grid. I find it hilarious that the EU has the nerve to “complain” about Russia cutting energy shipments, after the EUs enthusiastic embrace of sanctioning. They seem incapable of comprehending the simple idea that “actions have consequences”.
Good points..the laddogs who are completely destroying any economic viability in the EU and US care nothing about the people. It is all about being tough, and courting Russophobia.
FYI Russia reduced supply due to a maintenance issue caused by sanctions.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/canada-seeking-pathway-enable-german-gas-flow-amid-russian-sanctions-bloomberg-2022-06-21/
They do not really have a link to that far corner of Poland. That is a feel good fantasy. It has never been developed to be the main economic line for the country, and can’t just become that overnight. It is two lane roads to no place special inside Poland.
“Nauseda”….remove one letter and you have “nausea”.
Lithuania vigorously denies that it has established a blockade of northern Kaliningrad. Since all of Europe accepts this, there won’t be much to argue about if Belarus were to prevent the transit goods destined for Lithuania because when they also sign an agreement with Russia. Right?
A little mouse is poking a Bear thinking it has NATO to protect it and it’s citizens.
If the Bear pokes back and kills all the citizens of Lithuania NATO may come to their aid, but at what cost to the citizens of Lithuania. Extinction?
Most of these politicians are strutting around each other like peacocks each one trying to out do the other in poking Russia. Bulgaria’s goverment was just voted out by citizens who are tired of American NATO globalists.
Likely the little mouse is doing what it is told, by a reckless boss who won’t be of much help when the crunch comes.
They risk being about as “saved” as Ukraine is now, but economically rather than militarily.
Biden can’t even keep the gasoline flowing in the US.
Just like they were prepared for Chinese countermeasures🤣🤣🤣. Unlike the 🐉 the 🐻❄ is more riled up and has less to lose.
The Kaliningrad embargo is a potentially dangerous escalation – one of many flash-points. In fact, every action and reaction in this crisis brings humanity one step closer to world war. Leaders are impotent to the warnings of history.
https://patternofhistory.wordpress.com/
Russians looking for excuses to take more land, now have one more.
Russia is not taking any land..it is pushing back against Ukrainian terror against large Russian population centers. Ukraine and its Neo-Na.i US supported military have been systematically murdering Russians for sport..or for being Russian. Your talking point is more drivel from CNN, MSNBC and the unfounded NATO narrative.
Excuse me? Russia is the biggest country in the world, and does not seek more territory; (especially Nazified Ukraine, but certainly who wants the Baltic trio , completely whining and useless).
You don’t have to take the land, as long as install the leaders, by violent coup, like we did in Ukraine.
The real losers are the population centers in the EU, and the US. The political class in both are clueless, and only work for the elites. Lithuania has no idea what kind of wrath it will receive for doing Washingtons bidding, but it will not be the predictable dumb hubris coming from the West…Russia is in power here, not the West.
Nauseda doesn’t know EU considers Lithuania as the second Ukraine…!
Russia does not need to challenge them militarily. They are ripe for disaster, and the suggested help would not help.
Lithuania may be bracing itself, but that is not the same thing as “prepared.”
It can’t prepare. It has no economy without its overland connections, which btw stretch all the way to China.
Sure, it would have ships come in, and a trickle down low-traffic roads from Poland or Latvia. That won’t save an economy. That is not “prepared.”
Lithuania must be honest with itself about what it is. It is a recently independent economic appendage of the old USSR. It was fully integrated. It has not separated itself, to use the American term regarding China it has never decoupled from Russia. Given its physical size, location, and assets, it probably cannot do so, ever.
Russia is not afraid of NATO, although clearly Russia does not want an unnecessary war with NATO. Russia has said that its retaliation “will not be diplomatic”, so Lithuania can expect some sort of asymmetric retaliation. Russia can ship its good by sea, so this is not a big deal, unless NATO escalates by trying a naval blockade, in which case Russia will escort trade ships with military ones.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are NATO nations but there is one fact which ties them to Russia. For the first time in centuries and from Torfyanovka, Russia, to Ahlbach, Germany, the shore of the Baltic Sea is Slavic. The Teutons and Norsemen have been pushed back to where they came from.
All of the sanctions are of course illegal, as if that bothers the USA and its NATO∕EU stooges.
Does Lithuania, which has already infuriated China by bravely recognizing Taiwan as a country!!, really believe that Russia will be afraid of NATO???
Lithuania Says Not Prepared for Russian Retaliation Over Kaliningrad Embargo, Expects Military Action