Western sanctions are increasing isolation of Kaliningrad - FIS
After the imposition of sanctions in 2022, Russia's costs for cargo transit increased, especially on routes to the Kaliningrad region, which has no land connection to the rest of the Russian Federation.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the press center of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
As noted, previously most deliveries were made through Lithuania, but due to quotas and restrictions, this route has significantly lost its availability.
"The load has shifted to sea routes: while in 2019 cabotage amounted to 0.4 million tons, in 2024 Oboronlogistica alone transported more than 2 million tons. However, the ferry infrastructure has been overloaded, with queues, a shortage of seats, and a reduction in ferry capacity complicating deliveries," the report says.
Small businesses have found themselves in the worst position: large operators reserve space in advance using administrative resources, effectively pushing small carriers out of the market.
"Sanctions not only destabilize logistics, but also deepen socio-economic imbalances in the region, demonstrating the vulnerability of the system," the NWR adds.
