Floating course

Lithuanian vice-minister Andryus Krivas expressed a sharp protest of the Russian ambassador to Alexander Udaltsov in connection with the repeated actions of the Russian Navy in the exclusive economic zone of Lithuania in the Baltic Sea. This was reported by the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Lithuania.

On April 30, a Russian ship during the next combat exercises of the Baltic Fleet of Russia entered the exclusive economic zone of Lithuania and illegally ordered the Alvedo vessel to change the course, the message says. Similar incidents occurred on March 19, April 10 and April 24. The actions of the Russian Navy also violate the work of laying the NordBalt sea cable.

"The aforementioned actions are carried out by the vessels of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Navy in the context of the protection of the zone where military exercises are being carried out. Russian government agencies were not requested and did not receive in any form of the preliminary consent of Lithuanian state bodies to such actions," the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry emphasizes.

For each of the incidents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania reacted notes of protest. Lithuania demands that Russia cease violations of international shipping and legal economic activity in the exclusive economic zone of Lithuania. Russia must comply with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of Law, insist in the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry. However, the answers to notes from the responsible bodies of Russia were not received.

In February, the Minister of Defense of Great Britain Michael Fallon said that there is a real danger that Russia will try to destabilize the situation in the Baltic countries - Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The pressure that President Vladimir Putin is anxious on these states included in NATO, the minister noted. Russia can use tactics similar to the one that it uses in the east of Ukraine. NATO should be prepared for aggression from Russia, no matter what form it takes, Fallon emphasized.

When asked by journalists if the times of a new Cold War with Russia came, Fallon replied: "This is not a new cold war, because it is already quite warm."