“During alliance exercises, scenarios such as blockade of the Kaliningrad Oblast are developed [królewieckiego]. Active militarization of the region continues [bałtyckiego]strengthening it with coalition forces and means,” Grushko said in an interview for the Russian daily “Izvestia”.
Earlier, advisor to the President of Russia, Nikolai Patrushev, stated that the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance, during exercises near Russia's borders, practice seizing the Koenigsberg Oblast, blocking shipping in the Baltic and the Black Sea, as well as preventive strikes on places where the Russian nuclear deterrent forces are permanently stationed. Patrushev warned that Moscow would launch an “immediate and crushing” response to any military aggression against the Koenigsberg region.
In July this year The commander of the US Army in Europe and Africa and the commander of NATO land forces, General Christopher Donahue, stated that the North Atlantic Alliance planned to weaken the defensive potential of Russian forces in the Koenigsberg region. To this end, he added, NATO countries are implementing the “deterrence line on the eastern flank” plan, which assumes strengthening land potential and improving cooperation between the military sector and industry. Former commander of NATO forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges, also noted that alliance forces are capable of destroying Russian troops and military infrastructure in Königsberg “within the first few hours” in the event of a Russian attack on one of the NATO countries.
Meanwhile, at the end of October, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda proposed limiting transit to the Königsberg Oblast for security reasons. The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, called this step “provocative.” The Kremlin, for its part, promised that it would maintain contacts with its exclave regardless of the situation.
Drones, fencing and the army on the Norwegian-German border. “The security situation requires it”
Meanwhile, the Norwegian police report that Norway is strengthening security and control of its 198 km long border with Russia. Fences are to be installed on some sections of the border. This includes in particular Skafferhullet, a former border crossing in the municipality of Sor-Varanger in the north of the country, and Sturske, the official checkpoint for traffic between Norway and the Russian Federation.
Border crossing between Norway and Russia at Storskog in Finnmark, September 29, 2024.LISE ASERUD / PAP
The Norwegian authorities explain that in addition to the fences, modern sensors and monitoring cameras will be placed along the border. According to Finnmark District Police Chief Ellen Katrine Hetta, they also intend to use drones in some sections. – This is important for further work on the modernization of the border with Russia – he emphasizes. The new fence in Skaffershullet will cost around PLN 400,000. euro [1 mln 703 tys. zł]. In total, Oslo received approximately PLN 16,400,000 for the modernization of the Norwegian-Russian border at the end of 2024. euro [prawie 70 mln zł] from the EU border and visa fund, Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI).
— The security situation in Europe causes Norway to implement a number of measures aimed at strengthening border control. The police and military will further strengthen their already well-developed cooperation through closer coordination and further development of border missions, says Lieutenant Colonel Rune Rippon of the Norwegian Defense Staff.
The Norwegian website The Barents Observer specifies that Norway, which is not a member of the EU but belongs to NATO and the European Economic Area and cooperates with them under the Schengen Agreement, has been working on building a higher, improved fence in Sturske since spring this year due to the intensifying threat from Russia.
