In the wake of a new sanction round on Russia by the EU, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed direct sanctions on Russian Railways, which would mean the complete stoppage of business between Estonian...Read more
Estonian national rail operator Eesti Raudtee claims it lost over 20 million euros in 2022, mostly due to the sanctions that the EU applied on Russia and Belarus. The Estonian government is ready to mitigate...Read more
UPDATEThe issue of train transit between Russia and Kaliningrad via Lithuania seems to be reaching some kind of stability. After consulting with the Financial Crimes Investigation Service (FNTT), Lithuanian Railways managed to secure a three-week-long...Read more
UPDATEThe Kaliningrad rail transit series has a new episode. The Financial Crimes Investigation Service (FNTT) scrutinised Lithuania’s payment possibilities with Russian and Belarusian entities, concluding that “each case for mutual services and incoming or outgoing...Read more
Tensions between Russia and Lithuania have increased since the EU sanctioned the land transit of goods, including steel and concrete, from Russia and Belarus to Kaliningrad. According to Russia, the quotas established by the EU...Read more
Šiaulių Bankas promised to stop all transactions with between Lithuania and Russia and Belarus before the fall. It is the only Lithuanian bank that still carries out payments with the two countries.Read more
Despite the European Commission lifting the ban on Kaliningrad, Kęstutis Budrys, the Lithuanian president’s chief advisor on national security, says Lithuania should not upgrade or repair its Russian-gauge rail tracks.Read more
UPDATEThe first Kaliningrad-bound train from Russia reached the Lithuanian border on Tuesday, 26 July. After a few weeks of uncertainty, this train marks the restoration of rail freight traffic between Russia and its exclave.Read more
The European Council decided on 26 July to extend the existing economic sanctions on Russia by six months until 31 January 2023. This six-month extension could prolong even more if the situation does not stabilise...Read more
The recovery trend that Russian Railways follow after the initial shock by the EU and US sanctions keeps going strong. The state-owned company says that transported volumes to Far East ports reached record numbers in...Read more
SANCTIONSThe Russian Railways have proceeded with an official request to the European Union to lift sanctions concerning the company. RZD was among the first legal entities to enter EU sanction lists just days after the...Read more
UPDATEThe European Commission realised the scenario of reversing the decision to impose restrictions on rail freight transit to Kaliningrad via Lithuania. Brussels published a guidance document clarifying that no sanction regime applies to rail transport...Read more
Lithuanian customs intend to exempt certain types of fertilisers transiting from Russia to Kaliningrad. As a result, around 837,500 tons of potassium chloride and 1,58 million tons of mineral and chemical fertilisers could be transported...Read more
SanctionsSince April 2022, 865 Russian freight cars have been seized by Finnish authorities. Over 82 million euro worth of assets were frozen to comply with EU sanctions on Russian coal after the start of the...Read more
The Lithuanian customs have imposed a ban on the transit of Russian cement, alcohol and other products on their way to Kaliningrad by rail. The restrictions came into force on Sunday, 10 July, after a...Read more
The European Union could reconsider the implementation of sanctions on cargo transit to Kaliningrad. After the initial decision to ban the transit of some products through Lithuanian territory, followed by Moscow’s threat to retaliate, the...Read more
Russian Railways will partially suspend the transit of specific products through Belarus on the way to Poland. The company announced concisely a couple of days ago that “shipments of certain goods routed to Poland by...Read more
The Lithuanian government is again consulting with the EU Commission on implementing the fourth EU Sanctions package that includes a slow down of transit trains and goods on their way to Kaliningrad. This is after...Read more
UPDATEDLithuania banned the transit of sanctioned products on trains to and from Kaliningrad. The ban has been in effect since Saturday, 17 June. Western sanctions on Russia are behind this decision, which only affects sanctioned...Read more
Lithuanian Railways are forced to release around 2,000 employees in an attempt to cope with the increasing financial losses. The company has consulted with employee representatives and will proceed to their release in a controlled...Read more
The first wave of EU state aid for war-related losses is here. The European Commission approved a 20 billion euros state aid scheme to relieve German companies suffering due to the war in Ukraine and...Read more
