Why is part of russia between poland and lithuania

Lithuania holds a referendum on its independence drive over the objections of Moscow and its own Russian and Polish minorities. Lithuania and Russia reach agreement allowing citizenship for Russians in Lithuania.

The agreement grants citizenship to all Russians who were residents of Lithuania prior to the agreement. The failed coup attempt against Gorbachev by Soviet hardliners allows the Baltics to establish independence and obtain recognition from the world community. Russian groups in the predominantly Russian region of Visaginas formerly Snieckus are accused of backing the coup. The Lithuanian government in Vilnius disbands the local council in the Visaginas, and imposes direct rule upon them, appointing an ethnic-Russian administrator.

Yedinstvo leader, Valeriy Ivanov is arrested with seven others in connection to the January unrest which threatened to topple the Lithuanian government. Lithuania passes citizenship laws requiring immigrants since to meet language requirements in addition to being a resident for at least 10 years and renunciation of former citizenship. Lithuania and Russia sign an agreement guaranteeing withdrawal of Russian troops from Lithuania.

Boris Yeltsin halts the withdrawal of troops from all of the Baltic Republics over demands for compensation from the Baltic republics and to show concerns for the Russian minorities there.

Yeltsin appeals to the U. The local government elections are held. Elections are held in Lithuania for the remainder of the disbanded district councils that did not get filled in November. Lithuania's Constitutional Court overruled an amendment to the citizenship law which allowed ex-Soviet servicemen to obtain Lithuanian citizenship.

A group of eight Yedinstvo and Communist Party activists are sentenced for their parts in the unrest of January Moscow has called for their release and refers to them as "political prisoners. The Lithuanian Parliament decides that social organizations, such as the Union of Poles, will not be allowed to field candidates in the upcoming local elections in November.

They are required to register as political organizations. Polish parliamentary deputies support the decision. The organizations claim that the new law, which bans social organizations from participation in local elections, is an unfair restriction which targets minorities.

Most of the groups that represent minority interests are not official political parties, but are set up as social organizations. A railway bridge 35km west of Vilnius was blown up and almost completely destroyed. No casualties were reported. The parliament chairman and the premier regard the act as "terrorism and sabotage". Four versions of the blowing up of the bridge, all involving Russia or Russians, are under investigation by law and order officers.

It was thought that the bridge could have been blown up by the former Vilnius OMON special-purpose militia "to mark the 77th anniversary of the Bolshevik coup d'etat in Russia". Another thought was that the act could have been carried out by extremist Lithuanian right-wing forces to impede an agreement with Russia on military transit.

Yet another theory was that the bridge could have been blown up by Russia's special services so that Russia could prove the insecurity of railways passing through Lithuanian territory, making it easier to obtain Western credit to build the Kaliningrad - St Petersburg ferry line. According to the fourth theory, the explosion could be linked to the murder trial of journalist Vytas Lingys. Petr Frolov, the chairman of the Lithuanian Russian community, has told the ELTA agency that a party of national minorities will be founded in Lithuania.

The citizens of Lithuania of various nationalities will be able to join the party and to integrate into the official life of Lithuania. The party will take part in the presidential, Seimas and local government elections. The Russian community in Lithuania has claimed that the Russian and Lithuanian governments violate the ethnic Russians' rights to information and freedom of travel.

The RSL accused the Lithuanian government of interfering with its attempts to broadcast Russian radio and television programs to Russians living in Lithuania.

Why does Russia own this patch of land? The short answer is: Germany was forced to give up huge patches of its conquered land at the end of WWII. Plus, other surrounding nations were too broke to rebuild the area… that already had Russian people. Germany was a key antagonist in the war after invading western and eastern Europe, systematically killing millions of people. Previously the territory had been part of East Prussia not Russia which was part of the German Empire.

Fears over Russian military operations in Europe have been fuelled by reports the country has been bulking up its firepower in a small province nestled between Poland and Lithuania. Around the size of northern Ireland with a population of nearly one million, the Kaliningrad Oblast region is separate from the rest of Russia and was a closed military zone in the Soviet period.

Nuclear-capable Iskander missiles were deployed in Kaliningrad this month for the first time in two years, according to a Russian military spokesperson, sparking fears the region could become a flashpoint amid rising animosity between Russia and the West. Servicemen have been seen working in the region to increase security at important bases and further military radar systems are reportedly being constructed. The region began to see increasing trade with the countries of the EU as well as increasing economic growth and rising industrial output.

Kaliningrad Online. Image source, Getty Images. Uneven development. Kaliningrad has strategic importance for Russia. BBC Russian.