Panic buying spread throughout the Kaliningrad region in Russia, caused byy neighboring Lithuania on Saturday threatening to isolate the city in Russia.
Kaliningrad is sandwiched between NATO member countries Poland and Lithuania. It is home to a Russian Baltic Fleet and an arsenal of Iskandar missiles for nuclear weapons.
The region relies on rail links through the Baltic States to transport freight. According to the Governor of Kaliningrad, this ban affects up to 50% of products imported and exported from Russia via Lithuania.
The decision in Lithuania was a delayed implementation of a ban on imports of goods into Russia imposed months ago by Western nations in response to the invasion of Ukraine in late February.
Most of Russia’s exports to Kaliningrad are carried by rail freight between mainland Russia and the Exclave. This means Russia will be forced to increase air freight and sea shipping traffic in order to transport sanctioned goods.