Original is not easy, please support more. Related video: Is Russia's only enclave a geopolitical dividend or a historical burden?
When it comes to overseas enclaves, Russians probably regret selling Alaska to the United States, which is now not only the largest state in the United States, but also the largest overseas enclave in the world. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia inherited most of its territory and remained the largest country in the world. So, how many overseas enclaves does Russia have today? The answer is that there is only one Kaliningrad.
Some will say more, but also Crimea, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and the Nagorno-Karabakh region, where the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan broke out the year before, and even the so-called Dezuo in Moldova. Of course, some of these places are de facto independent, but they are not universally recognized by the international community;
For example, in South Ossetia, Russia seized this place and did not let go, the main purpose is to contain Georgia, if Georgia falls to NATO, it will be an unbearable consequence for Russia in the direction of the Caucasus, which is somewhat similar to Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. Crimea is even more special, Russia built the Kerch Strait Bridge, from land to the Crimean Peninsula, in the future, whether the West recognizes it or not, Crimea is not a geographical enclave of Russia. As for the Transnistrian left bank and the Nagorno-Karabakh region, these are historical problems caused by the Soviet period and cannot become a Russian enclave.
Speaking of which, Russia has only one overseas enclave in Kaliningrad, after all, this was "confirmed" by the Yalta system. On the map, Kaliningrad is like a wedge into the heart of Europe. It is closer to Warsaw, Berlin and even Copenhagen and Stockholm than to St. Petersburg. Kaliningrad is "wrapped" by Poland and Lithuania on three sides, and the outside world must pass through these two countries to enter and exit here by land, and Russia is even more troublesome to enter and exit here by land, in addition to Poland and Lithuania, but also through Belarus or other Baltic countries.
Residents of Kaliningrad Oblast, in particular, must go through two inspections by Lithuanian border guards in order to travel to Russia, and Russian goods must be subject to "strict" supervision by Lithuanian customs to pass through Lithuania. After Poland and Lithuania joined the European Union in 2004, the European Union required Russians to obtain an EU visa to enter and leave Kaliningrad.
Even so, Kaliningrad is still a magic weapon that Russia clings to in its hands and does not dare to throw away, and land troubles go to sea and air, and this is how the Germans overcame difficulties in those years.
Although the area of this place is only 15,000 square kilometers, it is not as big as our Beijing, but the whole world can see clearly that this is the main battlefield and bridgehead of the game between Russia and Europe, as long as Kaliningrad is in Russia's hands, Europe is like a fish in the throat, nato does not dare to act rashly.
Today's NATO eastward expansion continues to squeeze Russia's strategic space, and Poland and Lithuania, which surround Kaliningrad, are Russia's historical enemies. Recalling the upheavals in Eastern Europe, when Poland was in turmoil and Lithuania was the first to declare independence in March 1990, a full 21 months before the formal collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, it shows how bad relations between these two countries and Russia are.
NATO expanded eastward to encircle Russia, and Poland and Lithuania competed to act as pawns. But there are two sides to everything, Kaliningrad, although isolated overseas, is a wedge for Russia to enter Europe, like a sword hanging over Poland's head, while threatening Lithuania next to it.
What's more, Russia's military deployment in Kaliningrad and the Baltic Fleet are not vegetarian, and the complete land, sea and air force will have to be weighed and weighed by NATO whenever it moves.