DISINFO: Lithuania is a country with a limited sovereignty
SUMMARY
This is not a casus belli just yet - that would be the full blockade of the Kaliningrad district. The current situation is the testing of waters for the full blockade and testing of Russia's reaction. And this is not done by Lithuania, as Vilnius admits itself, but by the big Western partners. By Brussels, but also, I [Maria Zakharova] suspect London and Washington.
They are themselves afraid of what they are doing, but they do it anyway. Lithuania is a country that does not have a full-fledged sovereignty. Lithuania is a country with a limited sovereignty. It does what its handlers in Washington, Brussels and London tell it to do.
By the way, the Russophobes in the whole of Eastern Europe, in Vilnius and in Kyiv, are controlled by London.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about sanctions.
Implementing the EU sanctions, Lithuania applied restrictions to specific categories of goods that are transported by rail, via the EU territory, to and from Kaliningrad.
As foreseen in the fourth package of EU sanctions, which was adopted on 15 March 2022, the EU's restrictive measures on imports into and transit through the EU of Russian steel and other ferrous metal products definitively entered into force on 17 June 2022.
The transit of passengers and non-sanctioned goods to and from the Kaliningrad region through Lithuania continues uniterrupted. Lithuania has not imposed any unilateral, individual, or additional restrictions on the transit.
According to the High Representative Josep Borrell (20 June):
"Lithuania has not taken any unilateral national restrictions and only applies the European Union sanctions. So, the accusation against Lithuania “Lithuania is implementing Lithuanian sanctions” is false. Pure propaganda. Lithuania has not taken any unilateral national restrictions. But, in accordance with European Union sanctions there are imports and export restrictions that apply in relation with certain goods, including the prohibition of transit from those goods through European Union territory. Lithuania is doing nothing else than implementing the guidelines provided by the Commission. Lithuania has been asking to the Commission, which has been providing guidelines and Lithuania is implementing these guidelines."
EU sanctions following Russia’s armed aggression in Donbas, illegal annexation of Crimea and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions target the Kremlin’s ability to finance the military aggression against Ukraine. These are restrictions imposed in accordance with international and European law as a response to violations of international legalities, such as Russia’s actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. The EU established the sanctions regime under its laws, specifically Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014, "concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine."
Read also related stories on the illegality of Western sanctions: US, Canada, Switzerland to blame for a surge in food and energy prices due to illegal sanctions on Russia, Sanctions against Russia are illegal, Russia was subjected to illegal sanctions, New Western sanctions against Belarus are illegal, inhumane and cynical, UK sanctions on Russia are illegal, Western sanctions are illegal and hostile actions.
Technical remark: This disinformation was broadcast via RT on 21 June 2022. Due to the EU decision to temporarily restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU.