Lithuania on Monday started blocking items banned below EU anti-Russia sanctions from being transported via its territory to Russian’s Kaliningrad exclave. Prohibited gadgets embody coal, metals and development supplies. Over the weekend, video footage confirmed some panic shopping for
at development provide shops.
Russia’s overseas ministry blasted the ban as “overtly hostile,” with Russian TASS information company reporting that the transport of meals has additionally been blocked. Moscow warned that Lithuania might face measures of “severe destructive impression” in response. Lithuania, nevertheless, stated it was merely fulfilling its tasks as an EU member by implementing sanctions imposed on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
What’s Kaliningrad?
Kaliningrad is Russia’s westernmost area, or oblast. It’s an exclave, which means it shares no borders with mainland Russia. Kaliningrad has a strip of Baltic Beach in its west, whereas bordering on Lithuania within the north and east, and Poland within the south. It spans an space of 15,000 sq. kilometers (5,830 sq. miles, concerning the dimension of East Timor), and has a inhabitants of roughly one million. Its capital is the eponymous metropolis of Kaliningrad, the place about half of that inhabitants lives.
Why does Kaliningrad belong to Russia?
The realm of present-day Kaliningrad was once a part of the Kingdom of Prussia, and had a combined Polish, Lithuanian and German-speaking inhabitants. After the defeat of Nazi Germany on the finish of World Warfare II, the territory was ceded to Soviet Russia. Its foremost metropolis, recognized in German instances as Königsberg, was renamed Kaliningrad — the identical identify given to your entire space.
After the collapse and disintegration of the Soviet Union, Kaliningrad grew to become a part of Russia.
Why is Kaliningrad essential to Russia?
Kaliningrad’s geographic location is strategically and militarily advantageous to Russia. It’s Russia’s solely port on the Baltic Sea that’s ice-free year-round, and the Russian Baltic Sea fleet relies there.
Russia additionally holds nuclear missiles in Kaliningrad, putting them inside shut placing vary of main European capitals. Neighboring nations Lithuania and Poland are EU and NATO states.
What else in Kaliningrad recognized for?
Thinker Immanuel Kant was born in Königsberg, right this moment’s metropolis of Kaliningrad, in 1724. He spent most of his life within the Prussian metropolis and lies buried there. Kant is legendary for attempting to synthesize scientific and ethical progress.
Fossilised tree resin, generally referred to as amber, is very wanted to be used in jewellery
Kaliningrad additionally occurs to be the middle of the world’s amber commerce. Some 90 % of the world’s amber reserves are discovered there.
Edited by: Sonya Diehn