Construction of a new radar facility in Kaliningrad has been under way for some time and forms part of wider Russian investment in military capability that Britain and NATO allies are monitoring, according to an answer given in Parliament.
Gregory Campbell, the Democratic Unionist Party member for East Londonderry, asked whether the government would raise the construction of the radar at Gvardeysk, close to the Polish border, with NATO partners.
Louise Sandher-Jones, the Minister for the Armed Forces, said: “The Government remains in close consultation with NATO Allies on developments that may affect the security environment in the Euro-Atlantic area, including monitoring and assessing Russia’s investment in its military capabilities.
“Construction of the radar facility in Kaliningrad has been underway for some time and forms part of this wider investment. The UK and NATO Allies routinely monitor relevant Russian military developments and share information and assessments where appropriate.
“NATO continues to maintain an effective deterrence and defence posture, including on its Eastern Flank.”
Gvardeysk lies around thirty miles east of Kaliningrad city and has hosted Russian early warning radar infrastructure for years, including a Voronezh-DM site that watches across central and western Europe. The exclave has no land connection to the rest of Russia, hosts the headquarters of the Baltic Fleet at Baltiysk, and carries air defence and missile systems whose reach extends well into allied airspace.
Kaliningrad borders Poland to the south and Lithuania to the north and east, and the stretch of frontier between them, the Suwalki gap, is the only land route between the Baltic states and the rest of the alliance.
Would be hilarious if an unregistered boat were to “accidentally” drag it’s anchor across the undersea internet cables that connects the radar at Kaliningrad to mother Russia…. Then claimed denial. Would be funny if someone played them at their own game.