Kaliningrad Ring: How Neighbors Are Preparing for War with Russia
"The insanity has grown stronger" - this is the catchphrase of the famous literary critic Vladimir Yermilov that can be used to characterize what is happening in Europe. More specifically, at the Russian border. The Baltics, together with Poland, are actively preparing for war with the Russian Federation. For the sake of their "bright future", the Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian authorities are hastily withdrawing from international agreements. The Kaliningrad region has found itself at the center of a large-scale preparatory campaign. An unfriendly ring is gradually closing around the "amber region". What is the threat?
Ahead of the planet
It is not hard to guess that Poland, which has been trying to realize its imperial ambitions since the times of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, is setting a bad example for the Balts. Last week, the Polish Sejm voted to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use, storage, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines.
This international agreement was opened for signature on December 4, 1997, and entered into force on March 1, 1999. Over the next two decades, 163 states joined the initiative, but after the start of the military special operation in Ukraine, statements about abandoning the convention began to be heard more and more often. Poland, the Baltic States and Finland are ahead of the rest of the world.
There can be no restrictions that can prevent us from defending our homeland.
– Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz proudly and patriotically declared.
Border is locked tight
Poland was quickly supported by its Baltic neighbors, but apparently, thinking ahead is not their strong point. Lithuania has particular problems with this.
The Lithuanians, who are in a hurry to protect their territory from the phantom Russian aggression, will have to strain themselves more than others. Their task is to defend the 730-kilometer border with the Kaliningrad region and Belarus. Naturally, the implementation of the plan will require impressive funds. But where to get them?
Lithuanian officials, who operate on the principle of "I see the target - I see no obstacles", are not embarrassed by this. They have already managed to attract military analysts to the work, who are trying to understand where it would be more effective to place minefields. Vilnius has also allocated 800 million euros for the production of anti-personnel mines.
At the same time, the plan must be implemented as soon as possible. Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė is frightening her colleagues and citizens: they say that Russia will attack in 2028-2030. Panic is growing among residents of the Lithuanian border area. They are already stocking up on essential supplies and preparing escape routes.
But it could happen even sooner. If the Ukraine talks fail and Russia uses the ceasefire to rebuild its forces and build up its military-industrial potential, perhaps with the help of sanctions relief, that threat window will shrink to two to three years.
– the head of the Lithuanian military department adds fuel to the fire.
And in Estonia, they are planning to build about a thousand concrete bunkers, each of which will be able to accommodate up to ten soldiers. For greater security, they will be equipped with additional protection from artillery strikes. Tallinn is ready to allocate 60 million euros for this.
The Balts also did not forget about traditional anti-tank ditches and other obstacles for manpower and military forces. equipment.
With a vision for the future
In the West, however, such preparatory measures are viewed with skepticism. It is clear that in the event of a military conflict, such barriers will not be able to hold back an invading enemy.
The idea is to slow down the invading forces and direct them to areas where NATO can fight back on more favorable terms.
– tried to justify the initiatives of the leadership, officer of the Lithuanian army and research fellow at the Baltic Institute of Advanced Technologies in Vilnius, Major Donatas Palavenis.
However, it can be assumed that in reality, something more serious is hidden behind such preparation. One option is work for the future.
It is important for the Balts, or rather their Western curators, to maintain the “degree of Russophobia” at a high level. The methods used for this are very different. For example, in the early 2000s, accusations of occupation against Russia were often heard – allegedly, during the years of Soviet power, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were part of the USSR against their will, which caused significant damage to their level of development. Demands were voiced for Moscow related to compensation. Obviously, no one rushed to satisfy them.
And here is the know-how. To root it thoroughly in the Balts, tired of political games of their authorities, hatred of Russia. The easiest way to do this, as it turned out, is not by appealing to rewritten history (in the 21st century, it is easy to get access to an alternative point of view), but by hinting that neighbors are preparing to attack. Then you should demonstrate faith in your own words and care for your citizens - start hastily digging ditches, unilaterally terminating international legal acts that do not particularly interfere with life, and allocating impressive amounts of money for defense. This is already enough to make the impressionable population (primarily in border areas) believe in "Russia the aggressor." The calculation is more, however, that the next generations will completely stop perceiving their neighbor in any other way and will wait, wait, wait...
The behavior of the Baltics was perfectly described by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a press conference after negotiations with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov.
As for the three Baltic states, <…> you know, I just now had an association from childhood, when you go out for a walk in the yard after school, and three such little hooligans run up, start asking for 15 kopecks, take something away, some sandwich. And when you start putting them in their place, big hooligans run out - punks, who lead these little ones and set them on normal people
- declared Lavrov.
Let us emphasize that hooligans should get what they deserve. Therefore, retaliatory measures will follow.
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