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Lithuania introduces blockade of freight traffic by rail through Lithuania from the Russian mainland to the exclave of Kaliningrad. Between 40 and 50% of all goods to Kaliningrad travel by train through Lithuania. It is this freight transport that is now being stopped. Russia responds by threatening Lithuania and says it will have major consequences if the blockade is not lifted immediately. Kaliningrad is not landlocked with either Russia or Belarus.

Kaliningrad, in a historical perspective

If we look at the map, we can wonder why the small area by the Baltic Sea is Russian and does not belong to Poland or Lithuania. The slave is like a desert island sandwiched between the two EU and NATO countries. Until World War II, the city’s name was Königsberg and was part of East Prussia which was part of Germany. After the war, East Prussia was divided between Poland and the Soviet Union, where the Potsdam Conference said the area belonged to the Soviet Union. In 1946, the Soviets changed their name to Kaliningrad. The German population was sent back to Germany after the war and the area was populated by people from other parts of the Soviet Union.

After the war, the area has been best known for its naval base. This has been very important for the Soviet Union and now Russia. No one is really asking a question about Russia’s territorial control in the area, neither Lithuania nor other countries. But after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia, the exclave is in a particularly vulnerable position.

The 70 km long stretch to Belarus

It is 70 km between Belarus and Kaliningrad. That is, 70 km from connecting the exclave with a Russian-friendly country. This area is also very important to NATO. 70 km connects the Baltic countries Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia with the other NATO countries. Therefore, this small stretch is extremely important in a military strategy.

When Russia says that if the blockade continues, it will have major consequences, it may be that Russia is actually considering linking the enclave to Belarus. If they do, it is in fact an attack on a NATO country and Article 5 of the NATO Treaty enters into force.

I think it is extraordinarily strange for Russia to react in this way. They themselves block access to goods and exports by sea from Ukraine. Perhaps a sensible solution could be for Russia to lift its blockade of Ukraine and for Lithuania to allow goods by rail through the country.

Sources:

Kaliningrad – Russia warns Lithuania (dagbladet.no)

Lithuania imposes blockade of Russian exclave – Moscow responds with threats (aftenposten.no)

Russia threatens retaliation against Lithuania following rail ‘blockade’ | Financial Times (ft.com)

Kaliningrad – county – Large Norwegian encyclopedia (snl.no)