Lithuania is going to do helicopter surveillance on Russian transit trains. Moscow has to send trains through the country to reach its exclave Kaliningrad overland. That presents a security risk for Lithuania, which is not taking its eyes off the trains.
The European Commission has allocated 25 million euros to improve the security of the so-called Special Transit Scheme, which allows Russian trains to go through Lithuania to Kaliningrad. Among other things, Lithuania used the funds to buy a H145 helicopter, costing 11 million euros. The new helicopter will escort trains across Lithuanian territory.
“Our goal is to ensure the security not only of Lithuania but also of the European Union”, Lithuanian interior minister Vladislav Kondratovič said. “The smooth operation of the Special Transit Scheme is an important international commitment, and we approach its implementation with great responsibility, especially considering the geopolitical situation and potential security threats. […] This is an opportunity for us to strengthen our capabilities, and the newly acquired aircraft will help us monitor train transit to and from the Kaliningrad region more effectively and respond to potential incidents in a timely manner.”
Rail ferries
Russia is making an attempt to phase out overland transit to Kaliningrad. EU sanctions restrict what Russia can supply to its exclave region, and the European bloc could theoretically close the rail corridor altogether. Moscow sees this as a threat and has set up rail ferries in the Baltic Sea to reduce its dependence on Lithuania.
