Each step will be carefully followed, said the spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, in a statement released on the website of the Ministry in relation to the clarifications released by the European Commission on the rail blockade imposed on Kaliningrad by Latvia.

The official also explained that in the last four weeks Moscow was in direct contact with EU representatives on this issue and clarified that they were aware of the preparation of the relevant decisions.

Zakharova emphasized that the ministry is carefully studying the explanations presented by the EU and analyzes them from the perspective of the priority task: comprehensive vital support to the Kaliningrad region.

“The decision, which removes the restrictions for a certain range of products transported by rail, is a show of realism and common sense. Although we still have doubts about the content of the document,” she added.

The European Commission published on Wednesday an instruction to the member states of the bloc on the transit of goods from Russia. The document indicates that the transportation of several articles to Kaliningrad via railway is allowed by the EU sanctions under certain conditions, and the shipments must be subject to “specific, proportionate and effective control” by the community authorities.

On June 18th, Vilnius prohibited the transit of goods subject to EU restrictive measures between Russia itself and Kaliningrad, a Russian province located between Poland and Lithuania, despite the current agreements on border transport. The Lithuanian government argued that it complied with the sanctions of the European Union and Vilnius would not give in to Russia on the issue of the transit of goods.

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