Lithuania has allowed Russians of Lithuanian descent, who flee military mobilisation, to enter Lithuania. However, Russian citizens meet many obstacles on their way to the country.
On September 19, Lithuania closed its borders to Russians holding Schengen tourist visas. Following the partial military mobilisation announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 21, Lithuania also said it would not grant asylum to Russians fleeing conscription.
However, last week, Lithuania’s Coordination Committee for the Management of the Emergency Situation decided to allow Russian citizens with documents confirming their Lithuanian descent to enter the country.
Russians with Lithuanian roots rushed to take advantage of this exemption, said Sigitas Šamborskis, chairman of the Lithuanian community of Kaliningrad.
“This morning, I received calls from people in Kaunas and elsewhere. There are already young people [from Russia] who have arrived [in Lithuania]. We are advising them on how to get their residence permits processed,” he told LRT.lt on Monday.
“There are some who arrived with small children. The process is ongoing. I know that there is a queue at the border, and people are coming, mostly on foot because it’s not possible to go by car anymore,” the chairman added.
Russians can enter Lithuania if they have a certificate of Lithuanian origin or birth documents showing that one of their parents is Lithuanian. According to Šamborskis, these documents are issued by the consular offices.
“Based on the documents submitted, our officials assess whether a person is of Lithuanian origin or not,” he said.
However, the journey from Kaliningrad to Lithuania is not always easy even for people who have all the required documents.
“All kinds of things happen. Sometimes, they are turned around, sometimes, they are handed a summons to the Russian army [at the border]. Others try to bribe Russian border guards. Some succeed, some don’t,” Šamborskis said.
Russia is not allowing people who have already received a summons to leave the country. However, Russians of Lithuanian origin are trying to leave the country by all means possible.
“It is quite easy to cross the Belarusian border. Somehow, the Belarusians are not paying attention to this yet. People are overcoming this barrier. It just takes stubbornness,” said the chairman of the Lithuanian community of Kaliningrad.
According to him, Russians who are fleeing to Lithuania intend to stay in the country and want to bring their families.
“They are looking for a place to live, for jobs, they are formalising residence permits in Lithuania. They are not planning to return to Russia. I don't know anyone who is planning to come back,” Šamborskis said.
Although Lithuanians generally object to letting Russians fleeing mobilisation in, those who have already arrived in Lithuania do not face hostility, the chairman added.
Šamborskis estimates that around 30,000 people of Lithuanian origin live in Kaliningrad. According to the Foreign Ministry, their number is closer to several thousand.
Read more: Two-thirds of Lithuanians support closing borders to Russians – survey
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