| Lithuania provokes Russia by blocking the railway to Kaliningrad
21 June 2022 The Lithuanian government closed the railway line that runs between Russia and Kaliningrad. The line runs through Belarus and Lithuania. The Lithuanian government told the Russian railway operator that it did not permit it to run trains through Lithuania. This is about NATO provoking Russia. Russia has given a written warning to Lithuania to derestrict the line. The issue is about Russia being able to support its considerable military that is based in Kaliningrad. It is in this context that there is an imperative to have an unimpeded railway. There is no issue of food shortages in Kaliningrad. It is 58% the size of Crimea and able to grow most of its own food and has exported some of its wheat. Kaliningrad is 647 miles from St Petersburg and ships with a naval cruising speed of 34.5 mph, may be able to complete the journey including departure and docking in 24 hours. By comparison the scheduled passenger rail journey from Smolensk that is on the rail line between Moscow and Kaliningrad is 533 miles and takes 15 hours. |