Kaliningrad is the new epicentre of the Russia-NATO standoff

Context

Cutting off Kaliningrad as a result of EU sanctions has elevated the possibility of a direct conflict between Russia and NATO.

About

Lithuania, a member of the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), recently banned goods subject to EU sanctions from passing through its territory to the Russian exclave Kaliningrad.
- Sanctioned goods include coal, metals, construction materials and advanced technology.
Russia has called the move a “blockade” and promised a stern response.
- According to Russian officials, the ban will affect 30-50 per cent of cargo traffic but the goods can be rerouted through the Baltic Sea.
The implementation of sanctions has strained EU-Russia relations even further.

Importance of Kaliningrad:

Kaliningrad is an exclave of Russia, completely separated from the country’s mainland.
It is situated between EU and NATO members Lithuania and Poland.
It is also the headquarters of Russia’s Baltic Sea fleet, and the country’s only ice-free European port.
Kaliningrad has a population of approximately one million. Since it does not share a border with Russia, it also relies on the EU for supply of goods.
In the past, Russia has deployed its short-range Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad, believed to be a threat to the U.S.

Russia’s response

Russia has threatened to take measures against Lithuania for implementing a “blockade” and cutting off Kaliningrad.
Cutting off Kaliningrad has elevated the possibility of a direct conflict between Russia and NATO, since the country has threatened to respond to the “hostile actions” with “appropriate measures.”
Russia has also blamed the U.S. for the rail transit ban imposed by Lithuania.
- Russian hacker group Killnet took responsibility for attacking Lithuania’s public services with a distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attack.
- The group said that the attack was in response to the rail transit ban.
- They also threatened that the attacks will continue until Lithuania lifts the ban.