Is Lithuania On The Verge Of Dragging NATO Into War?

Is Lithuania on the verge of dragging NATO into Ukraine war? Moscow warns it will 'take actions' after alliance member blocks trains carrying goods to Russia's Kaliningrad territory

WILL STEWART and JACK NEWMAN FOR MAILONLINE

The Kremlin has threatened Lithuania after EU-sanctioned goods were blocked from reaching the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, fuelling fears of NATO being dragged into the war.

Moscow warned of 'very tough actions' against the Western security alliance member after deliveries of coal, metals, construction materials and advanced technology were stopped from entering the Russian territory.

The Lithuanian chargé d'affaires in Moscow was told that unless cargo transit was resumed in the near future, Russia reserves the right to act to protect its national interests.

The Russian foreign ministry said: 'We consider provocative measures of the Lithuanian side which violate Lithuania's international legal obligations, primarily the 2002 Joint Statement of the Russian Federation and the European Union on transit between the Kaliningrad region and the rest of the Russian Federation, to be openly hostile.'

Loyalist senator Andrey Klimov warned it was 'direct aggression against Russia, literally forcing us to immediately resort to proper self-defence'.

The head of the parliamentary sovereignty protection commission, he vowed that Russia would solve the blockade 'in ANY way we choose'.

Any direct Russian attack on alliance member state Lithuania would be seen as an act of war against NATO and could spark a world war.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said his country was simply implementing sanctions imposed by the EU. 

He said the measures implemented were taken after 'consultation with the European Commission and under its guidelines.'

'Sanctioned goods (will) no longer be allowed to transit Lithuanian territory,' Landsbergis added.

The foreign ministry emphasised it has not imposed 'unilateral, individual or additional' restrictions. 

But Russia disagrees, with Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying: 'This decision is really unprecedented. It's a violation of everything.'

He warned: 'We consider this illegal. The situation is more than serious... we need a serious in-depth analysis in order to work out our response.'

Konstantin Kosachyov, senate deputy speaker, claimed Lithuania was flouting international law in banning goods reaching Lithuania from Russia via Belarus.

The Kaliningrad exclave, home to some 430,000 people, is surrounded by Lithuania and Poland, another EU country, to the south and isolated from the rest of Russia. Trains with goods for Kaliningrad travel via Belarus and Lithuania. 

There's no transit through Poland. Russia can still supply the exclave by sea, without falling foul of EU sanctions. 

Russian state TV reporter Grigory Yemelyanov, from Channel 1, warned over footage of blocked trains: 'The attempt to isolate the region is - from the point of view of international law - in fact a casus belli, a term meaning a formal reason to declare war.'

Another senator Andrey Klishas stated: 'Lithuania's attempt to establish a virtual blockade of the Kaliningrad region is a violation of Russia's sovereignty over this region and may be the basis for very tough and absolutely legal actions on the part of Russia.'

Putin foe Mikhail Khodorkovsky warned in The Financial Times that the Kremlin leader's 'next step' would be an 'air blockade' of Lithuania.

Pro-Putin MP Konstantin Zatulin warned of 'Ukraine-like measures' from Russia in Kazakhstan.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov warned Kazakhstan: 'You've got to stand with Russia and show your position, and not be scared of US and EU sanctions.'

In another report General SVR channel claimed Putin has not ruled out a major mobilisation of half a million men in five regions of western Russia close to Ukraine.

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