Kaliningrad's Region Governor said that Russia could take out "half of the Lithuanian economy" if Russia implements counter-sanctions on goods coming in and out of the Baltic states.
Anton Alikhanov, the regional Governor told the Russian newspaper Vedomosti Monday, "The transport sector of the Baltic states could be destroyed if Russia implements counter-sanctions on the goods coming in and out of the Baltic states".
"Russia could make half of the Lithuanian economy disappear. There’s an impression that Lithuania doesn’t understand that the Kaliningrad Region is part of Russia and that we have someone to come to the rescue. We’re not alone in the face of the problem." He stated.
Last month, Lithuania banned certain goods from transiting through its territory in order to comply with sanctions against Russia levied by the European Union, but the ban did not include food items.
Alikhanov, who called the ban a "blockade" said that although food items weren't banned, it still hurts the region which relies heavily on building materials and other non-food items.
"Yes, the ban doesn’t include food, but without concrete, we can’t build schools or hospitals. So it’s an issue for the normal existence of more than a million people and for the economy of our region,” he said.
Russian state news RT says that Russia has re-routed the sanctioned goods to the Baltic Sea rather than transiting the goods via rail or road, but Alikhanov said that the dispute must be "resolved as quickly as possible".
Anton Alikhanov, the regional Governor told the Russian newspaper Vedomosti Monday, "The transport sector of the Baltic states could be destroyed if Russia implements counter-sanctions on the goods coming in and out of the Baltic states".
"Russia could make half of the Lithuanian economy disappear. There’s an impression that Lithuania doesn’t understand that the Kaliningrad Region is part of Russia and that we have someone to come to the rescue. We’re not alone in the face of the problem." He stated.
Last month, Lithuania banned certain goods from transiting through its territory in order to comply with sanctions against Russia levied by the European Union, but the ban did not include food items.
Alikhanov, who called the ban a "blockade" said that although food items weren't banned, it still hurts the region which relies heavily on building materials and other non-food items.
"Yes, the ban doesn’t include food, but without concrete, we can’t build schools or hospitals. So it’s an issue for the normal existence of more than a million people and for the economy of our region,” he said.
Russian state news RT says that Russia has re-routed the sanctioned goods to the Baltic Sea rather than transiting the goods via rail or road, but Alikhanov said that the dispute must be "resolved as quickly as possible".