Lithuania Seizes First Unregistered Car with Russian Plates, to Be Transferred to Ukraine

The Lithuanian Customs Criminal Service has detained the first car that violated the new procedure after the deadline for re-registering cars with Russian licence plates expired on Monday, an Audi Q7 worth €41,700, Vakarų ekspresas reports, citing Lithuanian Radio.

Customs reported that a Moldovan citizen travelling from Lithuania to Belarus was detained at the Medininkai border crossing point on Monday at around 11 p.m.

A report on an administrative offence was drawn up against him.

"It is likely that the car will be confiscated and transferred for the needs of Ukraine," the customs said in a statement.

After checking the documents, it turned out that the owner of the car was a Russian citizen, who was not in the car, and the driver assured that he was not aware of the obligation to re-register cars with Russian registration in the European Union (EU).

In September last year, after the European Commission clarified the sanctions once again, EU border countries no longer allow cars from Russia to the EU, except for transit. Vehicles entering Lithuania had to be re-registered or leave the country within six months by 2023. 11 September

Violators faced an administrative penalty - vehicle confiscation and a fine.

In exceptional cases, vehicles in transit to or from the Kaliningrad region may continue to move through Lithuania under a simplified transit document, but entry is only allowed if the vehicle is driven by its owner.

Transit through Lithuania must be completed within 24 hours.

According to customs, there may still be several dozen cars with Russian licence plates in Lithuania.