MOSCOW - The “hostile line” of the Baltic countries has led to the severance of most of their ties with Russia, said the Russian Foreign Ministry in remarks published on May 5, warning also that Moscow will respond with asymmetric measures.

“Because of the openly hostile line of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn, all inter-state, inter-departmental, regional and sectoral ties with Russia have been severed,” Ms Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the ministry, told the RIA state news agency, referring to the capitals of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

She added that Moscow will continue to use diplomatic measures of influence on the Baltic countries.

Estonia last week accused Russia of violating international airspace regulations by interfering with Global Positioning System signals, and the Baltic countries are among those that are “deeply concerned” about activities they called Russian espionage, Nato said last week.

Ms Zakharova, without specifying what steps taken by the Baltic countries she was referring to, told RIA Moscow will respond to the hostile actions by Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia with asymmetric measures.

“We will also respond to the hostile actions of the Baltic states with asymmetrical measures, primarily in the economic and transit spheres,” she said.

In February, Russian police put Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Lithuania’s Culture Minister Simonas Kairys and members of the previous Latvian Parliament on a wanted list for destroying Soviet-era monuments. REUTERS