Vilnius seizes Russian military camo materials cargo, reroutes to Ukraine

Lithuanian customs officials have intercepted multiple shipments of military supplies of camouflage gear en route from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad to Moscow, redirecting the cargo to Ukraine instead, Business Insider reported. The interceptions took place between 27 September and 2 October, according to an October 7 report by Lithuanian customs.

The Baltic state of Lithuania has emerged as one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy’s aid tracker, Lithuania ranks third in terms of aid sent to Ukraine as a percentage of GDP, behind only Denmark and Estonia. As a NATO member bordering Russia, Lithuania is among several countries preparing for potential Russian aggression.

The officials reported finding parcels containing camouflage pants and nets in four separate shipments during inspections of train carriages on Lithuania’s southwestern border. The cargo was classified as military and required a special permit for transportation.

• On 2 October, customs officers confiscated a mail consignment containing five pairs of camouflage trousers in the mail carriage of the Kaliningrad-Moscow passenger train, suspected of being military items.
• A similar consignment, containing five camouflage nets, was intercepted on a train from Kaliningrad on 1 October.
• Additionally, two other shipments of camouflage nets, intended for concealing military equipment, were seized by customs officials on the same train route on 27 and 29 September.

Lithuanian authorities believe these shipments were likely sent by Russian volunteer groups attempting to support the Kremlin’s war effort in Ukraine.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine in an interview with Business Insider in March, stating,

“If Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, then whatever happens next is Europe’s problem at large.”

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