Riga Airport has assessed that the recent suspension by Russia of specific railway border crossings, impacting routes with Finland, Estonia, and Latvia, is unlikely to have a substantial effect on air cargo operations within the Baltic region. The airport clarified that the Kārsava–Pytalovo crossing, which is now closed, served primarily as a backup route with limited traffic volumes. Crucially, the main Zilupe–Sebezh freight crossing between Latvia and Russia continues to operate without interruption.
This situation suggests that there will be no significant diversion of freight from rail to air cargo services or road feeder services (RFS) due to these closures. For freight forwarders and logistics managers, this means that existing air cargo and intermodal strategies in the Baltic region are unlikely to face unexpected disruptions or capacity shifts directly attributable to these specific rail closures. The stability of the primary rail freight corridor is key to mitigating any potential impact on supply chains reliant on this transit point.
