By Jovita Gaižauskaitė, LRT TV, LRT.lt.
At Panemunė, one of two operating border checkpoints between Lithuania and Russia, around 150 people cross the border daily, either commuting to work or visiting family members, border guards say.
“Most of those crossing are Lithuanian citizens, including individuals with dual citizenship – both Lithuanian and Russian. Then come citizens of the Russian Federation, followed by residents of the Republic of Latvia, and occasionally a few from Estonia,” said Laimonas Pocius, deputy head of the Pagėgiai border guards.
Only pedestrians are allowed to cross at the Panemunė checkpoint, as vehicle traffic was suspended in April 2022 at Russia’s initiative, citing repairs to the bridge separating the two countries. The town of Panemunė is now littered with left-behind vehicles bearing Lithuanian and Latvian number plates.
Pedestrians cross by foot and then take taxis, buses, or rent cars on the other side.
Valentin, who lives in Kaliningrad, said he was travelling through Lithuania on his way to Spain. “I’m an engineer. I’m heading to work in Spain now – I work for three months, then spend a month at home,” he told LRT TV.
Read more: LRT.LT
