Lithuania issues note to Russia over Baltic Sea conduct

On September 17, 2015, Lithuania's Foreign Ministry announced it has sent a note of protest to the Russian Embassy in Vilnius. 

The note concerns the repeated interruption of civilian ships’ navigation in Lithuania's exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea.

In the note, Lithuania protested the recurring "obstruction by the naval forces of the Russian Federation of the freedom of navigation,” on September 15.

According to the Foreign Ministry, "similar incidents had been reported not for the first time," and it urged Russia's relevant institutions "to ensure that peaceful shipping and legitimate economic activities in the Baltic Sea would not be hindered in the future."

Lithuania's Defense Ministry said on September 15, a Russian warship had instructed a Lithuanian civilian vessel to change course in the wake of Russian manoeuvers in the Baltic Sea.

In response to the situation, the Aukstaitis patrol boat of the Lithuanian Navy was dispatched to monitor further conduct of the Russian warships.

It detected three ships from Russia’s Baltic Fleet operating in Lithuania’s exclusive economic zone.

On September 3, Russian warships re-directed Lithuanian civilian vessels sailing in Lithuania’s exclusive economic from their route, due to a missile exercise taking place in Russia’s Baltic waters.