The Military Role of the Kaliningrad Region in Security Concepts of the USSR and the Russian Federation

Vladimir Putin’s Russia is a country with strong aspirations to rebuild its superpower position in the world. In this process, the Kaliningrad Region and its military strength play a significant role. At the same time, this region is an important element of the foreign policy and security of the Russian Federation, and due to its geographical location, it is a key element of Russia’s political and military influence on the Western countries. The region also plays an important economic role, and the Russian Baltic Fleet oftenarried out activities supporting the economic development of the region and the country. After the takeover of power by Vladimir Putin, the significance of Kaliningrad increased even more, and the area itself plays an important role in the New Defense Doctrine of the Russian Federation. A tendency visible for years, relating to the region, is to increase the military position of the Kaliningrad Region together with increasing aspirations of imperial power by the Kremlin.