Latest Articles about Kaliningrad/Baltic
Grandiose Victory Day Parade in Kaliningrad Tainted by Another Corruption Scandal
Kaliningrad oblast, the westernmost region of the Russian Federation, celebrated the 73rd anniversary commemorating the end of World War II on May 9, Victory Day (Newkaliningrad.ru, May 9). Similar to the commemorations happening across the rest of the country, the long-prepared parade (the night-time rehearsals... MORE
Russia’s Offshore ‘Missile Tests’: Psychologically Undermining the Economic Security of the Baltics
In the past two months, the Russian government twice warned Latvian authorities that it was planning to conduct missile tests over Latvia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Baltic Sea. Yet, in both cases (April 4–6 and April 17–19), Russia never actually shot off any... MORE
Ukrainian Lawmakers Urge World to Reject Russo-German Nord Stream Two Gas Pipeline
The Ukrainian legislature, on April 5, appealed to the international community to stop the construction of the Nord Stream Two natural gas pipeline, which is to carry Russian gas to Germany, bypassing Ukraine. The lawmakers said that the European Commission (EC) should consult with Ukraine... MORE
Russia Putting the Pieces Together to Maintain Its Gas Stranglehold on Europe
While attending a recent April 3 groundbreaking ceremony for a nuclear power plant the Russians are building in Turkey, President Vladimir Putin also spoke about natural gas. And it was apparent from his comments that Moscow is continuing to take steps to maintain its energy... MORE
The End of ‘Hide and Seek’: Russian Iskanders Permanently in Kaliningrad
On January 31, Colonel Anatoliy Gorodetskiy, commander of the 152nd Missile Brigade based in Chernyakhovsk (Kaliningrad Oblast), claimed that the infrastructure necessary to host the Iskander-M mobile ballistic missile system (NATO classification SS-26 Stone), with a striking range of 500 kilometres, has been fully prepared... MORE
Questions Plague Russia’s Naval Modernization
With the March 18 presidential elections fast approaching, the Russian media has been increasingly saturated with stories showcasing the purportedly unmitigated success of Russia’s military modernization. Although there is little doubt about the widely expected re-election of President Vladimir Putin, his defense team appears to... MORE
Moscow Now Wants Missiles Rather Than a Base in Belarus, Minsk Analyst Says
Technological breakthroughs in Russian military aviation and the expansion of a Russian airbase in Kaliningrad mean that the opening of a Russian military airfield in Belarus would do less for Russia’s defense posture than many had thought only a few years ago. At the same... MORE
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Kaliningrad to Become ‘Special’ Again
Having lost its Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status on April 1, 2016, Russia’s westernmost region, Kaliningrad Oblast, has once again demonstrated an inability to cope with mounting economic challenges. Meanwhile, floods and adverse weather conditions near the close of 2017 compelled local authorities to beg... MORE
Kremlin Uses ‘Preventive Democracy’ to Reinforce Russia’s Post-Federalism (Part One)
Over the past year, the Russian Federation experienced two large waves of resignations of governors. In spring 2017, the heads of seven regions—Perm krai, Novgorod and Ryazan oblasts, as well as the republics of Mari El, Udmurtia, Buryatia and Karelia—lost their posts. In autumn, the... MORE
Russia’s Changing Military-Strategic Perceptions of Kaliningrad Oblast Between 2013 and 2017
Last September’s massive strategic-level Zapad 2017 exercise provided analysts and observers with a number of important conclusions about the state of Russia’s military readiness, capabilities and Russian military thought (see EDM, September 14, 20, October 3, 6); though the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is... MORE