Russia Will File Claim for Damages to WTO After Lithuania Bans Transit: Kremlin

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - It is necessary to carefully work out with lawyers the issue of filing a claim for damages with the WTO by Russia and its Kaliningrad Region after the ban on transit through Lithuania, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

"As for Kaliningrad, of course, there is a special attitude, because the region has a rather special position due to its geographical location. As for the judicial prospects, of course, it will first have to be analyzed very carefully, worked out from the point of view of lawyers, legal experts in order to plan possible steps in the best way," Peskov said.

Earlier in the day, the governor of the region, Anton Alikhanov told Sputnik that the Kaliningrad authorities are calculating the damage from transit restrictions imposed by Lithuania to file a claim under the WTO.

From June 18, Lithuania banned the transportation of goods to the Kaliningrad Region that fell under the sanctions of the European Union, including building materials, metal, wood, cement, fertilizers, alcohol, caviar, and other categories, which account for about 50% of the total traffic volume. The Lithuanian authorities said they were simply complying with EU sanctions.