Lithuania has created a casus belli by restricting the transit of cargo to the Kaliningrad region. Russia will have to give an adequate response to this demarche.
In general, Russia needs the Baltic states so that the Kaliningrad region ceases to be an exclave. As well as the southern regions of Ukraine, which create a land corridor to the Crimea (and, logically, should be extended to Transnistria through control over the Nikolaev and Odessa regions). This can be considered an operation to restore the territorial integrity of Russia within the boundaries of its self-identity, as a territory with a predominance of the Russian-speaking population.
Lithuania didn't started Kaliningrad blockade like Russia is trying to show. They simply don't allow to transit sanctioned goods through railway of Lithuania, what is normal thing.
For Russia, this does not look normal, like a land blockade of its exclave.
Now you're saying that Russia needs these territories for their territorial integrity and self-identity, but didn't you said some time ago that Russia don't need other territories as they have enough their own land?
Exclaves are not a problem for Russia as long as good partnerships are maintained with neighboring states. Ukraine and the Baltic States are infected with Nazism and cultivate Russophobia - this exacerbates the issue of a land corridor to Kaliningrad and Crimea. I think this issue will be resolved.
And following your logic which you apply to Crimea and territory with Russian speaking majority, Kaliningrad isn't even Russian land, what Russia are doing there?
There are historical reasons why the Kaliningrad region is part of Russia, and they are quite reasonable. This is not a matter of logic, but a fait accompli.
Lithuania has created a casus belli by restricting the transit of cargo to the Kaliningrad region. Russia will have to give an adequate response to this demarche.
I agree, they should give Königsberg back to Germany. This would solve the transit problem.
Secretary of the Russian Security Council Patrushev flew to Kaliningrad yesterday for a scheduled off-site meeting of the Security Council, but the issue of surrendering Koenigsberg to Germany is unlikely to be on the agenda. From Kaliningrad, the whole of Europe is very conveniently shot through by Iskanders. Although it is all shot through from the Caspian Sea with Calibers, but nonetheless.
Strong ruble is bad for export, which is all that Russia really has (oil/gas). It would be good for import but most imports are under sanctions.
This is part of the reason why ruble is rising - very few businesses in Russia need foreign currency anymore. And there are restrictions on moving it.
In Soviet Union the ruble was "equal" to about 1.5 USD. We (well, except Branko and be.open and a few other purveyors of Kremlinism) know how that ended.
But look how beautiful - we are now witnessing the energy suicide of Europe. In the Netherlands, three mothballed coal-fired thermal power plants have already been launched. In Germany, gas-intensive production is under threat of stopping and ceasing to exist. In the summer, there is no injection, but the consumption of gas from underground storage facilities. Russia will suffer some discomfort from Western sanctions, but what margin of safety does Europe have?
Unstoppable? More like a Ponzi scheme at interest rates between 11 and 20 lately. You see, once again you are looking only at the information that somehow proves you point. You can support the Rouble by raising the interest rates, but you will have to print a plenty to pay for that. But hey, by all means, sell whatever you have and buy Roubles. Are you doing it now? Ah... it feels different when is your money and not just a post uh?
You better follow the Ukrainian hryvnia, the key rate there is now 25%.
