Kaliningrad Oblast closer to its ever-distant masters

One of the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Western sanctions that followed has been deteriorating economic situation in Kaliningrad Oblast. The Russian semi-exclave on the Baltic, already affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, has suffered from disrupted supply deliveries, closure of external
markets and peaking transportation costs.

Despite statements made by Russian government officials, blaming the West for all problems, the Oblast faces challenges that are predominantly related to policies pursued by the Kremlin, focused on keeping the semi-exclave fully dependent from the federal centre. Kaliningrad Oblast will thus continue to bear the price of decisions made in Moscow and will constitute an even more tangible threat to security and stability in the Baltic Sea Region