Contents tagged with Kaliningrad

  • Russia creates an offshore zone on an island that does not exist

    One of the two newly created Russian offshore companies on Oktyabrsky Island, cannot be realized, since the island does not exist as a geographical entity, writes the newspaper Vedomosti.

    The publication refers to the words of Deputy Finance Minister Ilya Trunin, who complained that his “Kaliningrad colleagues have a basic problem".

    ”As it turns out, there is no Oktyabrsky Island in the Kaliningrad region. This geographical entity does not exist,” the official noted.

    According to the former …

  • US military aircraft conducts reconnaissance flight near Russia’s Kaliningrad region

    A US Air Force RC-135W strategic reconnaissance aircraft number 62-4134 and call sign UNSEW42 conducted reconnaissance along the Kaliningrad region borders in the sky over Poland and Lithuania, as evidenced by the data of the Mil Radar service, which tracks the movement of military aircraft.

    It was noted that the aircraft departed from the Mildenhall airbase in the UK.

    On February 21st it was also reported that reconnaissance at the borders of the Kaliningrad region was carried out by the …

  • Russia says that it will continue deploying Iskander strategic missiles in Kaliningrad despite Western protests

    The Russian State Duma has commented on Washington's plans to monitor the deployment of the Russian Iskander missile system in the Kaliningrad region. Yury Shvytkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Defense and Security Committee, said that Moscow will continue to deploy the weapons in order to "maintain the balance”.

    "We will deploy them [the Iskander missiles] and similar types of weapons where we find it necessary to strengthen our borders and maintain the balance that the US is trying to …

  • Latvian Ambassador to Russia: if Moscow stations Iskander missile systems permanently in Kaliningrad NATO will have to respond

    If the recent permanent deployment of Iskander mobile short-range ballistic missile systems to the Kaliningrad region (the Russian Federation) are confirmed, this could be interpreted as a step toward the imbalance and destabilizing of the situation with Russia, according to the Ambassador of Latvia to Russia, Maris Riekstins, on LTV’s Rita Panorama program.

    According to the Rus.TVNET, Mr. Riekstins also said that Russia had not announced the stationing of the missile systems, though there had …

  • President of Lithuania: deployment of Iskander missile systems in Russia’s Kaliningrad region poses a threat to Europe

    While speaking at a press conference, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaité stated that the Iskander Tactical Missile Systems that will be permanently stationed in the Kaliningrad region of Russia beginning February 5 will be a threat to Europe, Delfi reports.

    "Iskander missiles are being stationed in Kaliningrad for permanent presence as we speak. This is not just a threat to Lithuania but to half of all European countries," said Grybauskaité.

    NATO believes that the deployment of the …

  • Media: Russia to permanently station Iskander ballistic missiles near Kaliningrad

    Russian newspaper Kommersant reports that Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile systems (SRBMS) will be stationed in the Kaliningrad region on a permanent basis in the near future, citing a source close to the General Staff of Russia.

    Until now, the newest SRBM systems had only been transferred to the region on a temporary basis.

    The publication reports that the Iskanders will be put on combat duty in early 2018. The 152nd Guards Missile Brigade (Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad region) will …

  • Mayor of Kaliningrad urges residents to leave city during FIFA World Cup 2018

    Kaliningrad Mayor Alexander Yaroshuk advised residents to “leave the city for a holiday in nature” during the Football World Cup.

    “The city will be crowded. It will be much harder to move about, virtually prohibited, except for the shuttles which will carry the fans,” Yaroshuk said in a radio interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda.

    The city mayor also pointed out that one of the four World Cup 2018 matches which Kaliningrad will host will be a “top” match.

    “Seventy to a hundred thousand …

  • Lithuania starts building a fence on border with Russia

    On Monday, Lithuania started the construction of a protective fence, nearly 45 kilometers in length, on the border with the Kaliningrad region of Russia. The ceremony of laying the first pillar of the border structure took place in the village of Ramoniskiai, in the Sakiai district.

    The cost of work will be 1,335 million euros. Money will be allocated from the budget of Lithuania, reports Delfi news website.

    A metal segment fence with supplemental equipment, approximately two meters in height, …

  • Russia will not provide explanation to NATO about Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad

    Russia will not give a report to NATO about the deployment of Iskander missile systems in Kaliningrad, said Andrei Kelin, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's European Cooperation Department as reported by RIA Novosti.

     “There will be no report at the upcoming Russia-NATO Council (RNC),” said Kelin in response to a question about an article in Spiegel.

    Spiegel reporters wrote that at the Russia-NATO council, Brussels will require an explanation from Moscow about why the Iskander missile …

  • Media: NATO will demand explanations from Russia about Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad

    NATO is trying to maintain contacts with Russia and plans to hold a joint meeting at the end of March, at which it will speak of its concerns regarding the build-up of Russian missiles in Kaliningrad, as reported by Spiegel, citing its sources.

    "NATO wants Moscow to explain the deployment of medium-range Iskander missiles on the eastern border of the Alliance," the publication reads.

    According to Spiegel, the parties agreed to hold a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council at the headquarters of …