Sorry I’ve been absent lately, guys! I’m still recovering from knee surgery, and getting integrated into my new job. But please don’t worry; I’m still writing, just taking some time to better polish some pieces that take a lot more research than my usual content.
Anyways, I just wanted to bring up this alarming headline about Russia’s newly stated goal of forming a “land bridge” of territory between its mainland and Crimea.
It’s alarming because of this:
You know what that area I circled is? It’s called Kaliningrad. It’s an “exclave” of Russia which, admittedly, they can access by sea from St. Petersburg without crossing any other nation’s territory.
But this is the game. The chess-board, if you will. I try not to be in the predictions game — because I prefer to think in terms of systems and fundamentals — but don’t be surprised if Putin starts whining about the Russian-speaking minorities in the Baltic states, and port access or whatever for Kaliningrad. He’s rebuilding the Russian Empire, after all, and empires can’t tolerate an exclave.
A land bridge to Crimea is important from a military perspective. Putin must want it for further aggressions. A land bridge to Kalingrad is probably on the wish list but maybe not the next item.
One main difference between kaliningrad and crimea, the land bridge to Kaliningrad goes across NATO territory. This current war in Ukraine has been light on red lines issued by the west, but invasion of a NATO ally is a very bright red one.
A land bridge to Crimea is important from a military perspective. Putin must want it for further aggressions. A land bridge to Kalingrad is probably on the wish list but maybe not the next item.
One main difference between kaliningrad and crimea, the land bridge to Kaliningrad goes across NATO territory. This current war in Ukraine has been light on red lines issued by the west, but invasion of a NATO ally is a very bright red one.