VILNIUS. Sept 25 (Interfax-AVN) - Forty T-72 tanks were transported by railroad from the Kaliningrad region to mainland Russia through Lithuania in the early morning hours of Thursday, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said.
"The Russian military transit through Lithuania was conducted in line with Lithuanian laws and coordinated plans. Permission was granted for the transit of the tanks," ministerial spokesperson Ruta Apeikyte told Interfax.
In the opinion of Lithuanian Defense Minister Juozas Olekas, "the withdrawal of tanks from the Kaliningrad region meets the interests of Lithuania," she said.
"The more armaments are taken away from the Kaliningrad region the better. This withdrawal increases security and stability of the Baltic region and Europe as a whole," Apeikyte said.