NATO threatens to seize Kaliningrad?

The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported statements by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, who said that exercises conducted by the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF)—a coalition of Northern European countries—are increasingly incorporating rapid-response scenarios in the Arctic, the North Atlantic, and the Baltic Sea.

According to Grushko, the exercises include scenarios simulating the isolation of Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave located between Poland and Lithuania.

He stated that military activity in the region has intensified in recent years as European forces strengthen their operational readiness.

Grushko also pointed to NATO’s “Baltic Sentry” operation, launched after damage to undersea energy and communication cables in the Baltic Sea, claiming that its aim is to control key maritime routes and restrict shipments linked to Russia.

“NATO is deliberately moving toward greater confrontation in this part of Europe,” he said.

The Joint Expeditionary Force consists of 10 countries: the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway. The coalition was established in 2015 and is designed for rapid crisis response, deterrence of threats, and operations in the Baltic and Arctic regions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also previously suggested that a blockade of Kaliningrad could escalate into a broader conflict between Russia and NATO, emphasizing the strategic importance of the Baltic region amid heightened tensions.