Carl Bildt: Kaliningrad is Russia's Achilles' Heel

Several leaders warn that Russia might attack a NATO country within a few years. Now, a NATO general states that the alliance's eastern capabilities have been strengthened and that Kaliningrad could be captured within an "unprecedented" timeframe, reports Defense News. Simultaneously, Carl Bildt describes the Russian exclave as Russia's Achilles' heel.

Several world leaders have warned that Russia might attack a NATO country, particularly one of the Baltic states, within a few years.

Now, NATO General Chris Donahue, in an interview with Defense News, says that NATO is implementing a strategy called the "Eastern Flank Deterrence Line," with a particular focus on the Baltics.

The strategy aims to strengthen ground forces, integrate the defense industry, and introduce standardized digital systems and launch platforms for rapid coordination.

– We know what we need to develop, and the starting point is that deterrence must occur from the ground, he says.

– The ground arena is not becoming less important; it is becoming more important. Now, you can eliminate so-called A2AD bubbles from the ground. You can also take control of the sea from the ground. We are seeing all these things happening in Ukraine now.

"Russia's Achilles' Heel"

Should a war break out between NATO and Russia, Donahue mentions that NATO now has the capacity to take control of the Russian exclave Kaliningrad, which is wedged between NATO countries Poland and Lithuania, in a time "that is unprecedented and faster than we have ever been able to do before."

– We have already planned for it and developed it. The problem of mass and momentum that Russia poses for us – we have developed the capability to ensure that we can stop it, says Donahue.

Carl Bildt simultaneously describes Kaliningrad as Russia's weakness, when he writes in a post on X:

"The Kaliningrad exclave is the Achilles' heel of Russia's strategic situation in Europe," he writes.