Countering Kaliningrad’s Threat to NATO

Abstract

Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave situated between Poland and Lithuania, rarely receives interest in the public sphere despite its strategic implications. Acting similarly to a forward operating base, the sovereign Russian territory is host to both conventional and nuclear forces. If desired, through operations originating from Kaliningrad, Russia could deny airspace across the Baltic states and much of Poland, or strike deep into NATO. William DiRubbio argues that the Alliance must develop a more effective strategy towards the Kaliningrad oblast. This involves a prioritisation of targets in Kaliningrad and forward-placing NATO capabilities near the oblast to facilitate a quick response.◼