The Washington PostThe Washington Post

Kaliningrad, Russian territory surrounded by NATO, is tangled in Ukraine war

By Rachel Pannett and Amy Cheng

21 Jun 2022 · 3 min read

Editor's Note

Russia and Lithuania are at loggerheads over Kaliningrad, the Russian Baltic Sea enclave sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland. The Washington Post explains Kaliningrad’s complicated history.

The Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, hundreds of miles west of the rest of the country, is the latest flash point between Moscow and the rest of Europe as the fallout from Russian President Vladimir Putin's war reverberates beyond Ukraine.

Sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland - both of which are European Union and NATO members - Kaliningrad sits on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. It receives much of its supplies via routes through Lithuania and Belarus.

Sign in to informed

  • Curated articles from premium publishers, ad-free
  • Concise Daily Briefs with quick-read summaries
  • Read, listen, save for later, or enjoy offline
  • Enjoy personalized content
Or

LoginForm.agreeToTerms