The Baltic States’ Role in Russia-NATO Relations

... on it. In particular, during the 2008 armed conflict in South Ossetia. In general, the Kaliningrad Region found itself, to an extent, a hostage in this event, because Russia’s local armed forces were cut off from the main troop divisions. The Kaliningrad defense district is surrounded by NATO member-states, which makes it less secure. Given this fact, Russia’s leadership began to look for solutions to redress the balance of forces in the Baltic Sea region, and to guarantee security in the Kaliningrad Region. In response to the Euro ...