The Strategic Relevance of Kaliningrad

By Free Republic | Created at 2024-10-25 22:15:26 | Updated at 2024-10-26 00:27:13 2 hours ago

The Strategic Relevance of Kaliningrad
U.S. Naval Institute ^ | October 2024 | Dr. Paolo Pizzolo

Posted on 10/25/2024 3:10:30 PM PDT by Retain Mike

Situated between Poland and Lithuania, both members of the European Union and NATO, Kaliningrad Oblast is a Russian exclave on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, as well as the westernmost region of the Russian Federation.

Tactically, in the event of conflict, Russia could form a land bridge from Belarus to the Kaliningrad exclave along the so-called Suwałki Gap, severing the Baltic states, including Lithuania, from other members of the Atlantic Alliance. In this scenario, troops stationed in Lithuania as part of a German-led NATO brigade would be surrounded and cut off from Central Europe. In addition, the deployment of long-range antiaircraft, surface-to-air, and surface-to-surface missiles could deny NATO forces access to maritime and land areas in the region

To defend Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania under the collective defense provisions of Article 5 of its founding treaty, NATO would have to break the potential air, sea, and land blockade formed by Kaliningrad.

From a military perspective, the geostrategic position of Kaliningrad presents opportunities and challenges for Russia. It provides an early-warning function and air-defense option in coordination with units from the mainland transiting through Belarus. In addition, the Baltic Fleet is positioned to project control over or exercise sea denial in the central Baltic Sea region and ensure access to the Gulf of Finland, with consequences not only for the Baltic States, but also for the security and freedom of maneuver of NATO members Finland and Sweden.

(Excerpt) Read more at usni.org ...

TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: kalininggrad; nato; russia

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Here is a piece of geography I wasn’t aware of which gives Russia a year-round ice-free port, and which makes serving on a ship in Northern Europe more interesting.

1 posted on 10/25/2024 3:10:30 PM PDT by Retain Mike

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