Most are unaware of the Lithuanian blockade preventing the flow of goods into Kaliningrad. Fewer still understand the significance of this strategic area, a small plot of land that may very well touch off a world war between Russia and her allies and NATO.
What is the key to understanding the gravity of the Lithuanian blockade and Kaliningrad’s strategic importance to Russia?
Kaliningrad is the headquarters of Russia’s Baltic Sea Fleet.
Just what is Kaliningrad?
Basically, it is a 160-square mile plot of land called an oblast by Russia, a word that translates roughly into “province.” It sits between Lithuania and Poland. It is accessible by land via an avenue known as the Suwalki Gap, a narrow corridor extending about 50 miles from the Russian forces stationed in the nation of Belarus and the Russian territory of Kaliningrad, which is situated on the Baltic Sea coast.
Kaliningrad was originally the 13th-century city of Konigsberg, the capital of the German province of East Prussia up until 1945. After World War II ended, the Soviet Union took it over, and it was made into a Soviet province. Currently, about 500,000 people live there. Ethnically, it is 78% Russian and 8% Belorussian. The remainder is mostly made up of other Eastern Europeans whose nations were once part of the Soviet Union. The remaining Germans were forced out by 1949.
What are the politics surrounding Kaliningrad?
The German government has relinquished any claim to it. However, Lithuania and Poland have been “jockeying” to take it over since the (first) Cold War ended in the 1990s.
Most of those on the “Brandon Bandwagon” cite media reports claiming “Kaliningrad is occupied by Russia” and that it’s not really theirs. They also parrot the absurdity that “Lithuania has the right to restrict goods into it” because they’re NATO. They claim such actions are justified because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
They conveniently forget that Guantanamo Bay is the only US base on the soil of a Communist nation…Cuba. We’re certainly not going to “relinquish” our base.
They also forget that the USSR blocked off the city of Berlin (the infamous “Berlin Blockade” that lasted 323 days). Most have ignored the fact that President Truman airlifted food to the Berliners nonstop during this period from 1948 to 1949.
The Kaliningrad Blockade
On June 18, 2022, Lithuania halted all rail movements of goods along the Suwalki Gap and into Kaliningrad and further imposed EU “sanctions” on materials permitted to enter the Russian province.
The Russians are not completely isolated in this matter. The president of Belorussia, Alexander Lukashenko, said this to the press at RIA Novosti:
“We are very concerned by the situation and the policy being pursued by our neighbors. You know, in general terms: this is the leadership of Poland and the leadership of Lithuania…with Lithuania…there is a growing flow of information about their plan to suspend transit from Russia through Belarus to Kaliningrad, to isolate Kaliningrad. Well, listen, that’s akin to a declaration of war! That sort of thing is unacceptable in the current conditions.”
Lukashenko met with Vladimir Putin on June 24 to talk about the current situation. Putin assured the Belorussian president that Russia would send its ally weapons to help counter what both leaders see as an encroachment by NATO and an attempt to completely cut off Kaliningrad.
The bottom line? Putin told Lukashenko that Russia would provide Belorussia with Iskander missiles and nuclear warheads for them.
The potential line in the sand? The blockade also cuts off the oil pipeline running from Russia to Kaliningrad.
The ban is not just by rail but also restricts trucks and aircraft from entering the Russian province.
A strike on one is a strike on all…
As Lithuania is a member of NATO, any aggression against it by Russia would violate Article 5 of the NATO treaty and put all of NATO into immediate conflict with Russia. It is simple to see from all of this how large a “powder-keg” this is, and it wouldn’t take much to set it off. Now let’s examine more of the strategic considerations here.
Not only is Kaliningrad the only ice-free Baltic Sea port and home to the Russian Baltic Sea Fleet, but there is a tremendous troop presence there, along with missiles and other equipment. The province holds Iskander missiles, and recently the Russians have moved nuclear warheads to the missile bases that can be fitted to them.
After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1992, Poland and the other Baltic states joined NATO, and Kaliningrad was transformed into a “pocket of isolation” from the Russian Federation. It is in a critical strategic location regarding electronic surveillance, missile forces, and the deployment of ground troops from Russia into Europe.
It also serves as a defensive position for Russia to prevent incursions into the region by air and sea. The Russian 11th Army Corps is the command structure for the province, and it holds Motorized Rifle Divisions (infantry), as well as commanding mechanized and armored (tank) units. The 336th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade is the naval infantry unit assigned to the Russian Baltic Sea Fleet. Let’s return to that original sentence I wrote earlier:
Kaliningrad is the headquarters of Russia’s Baltic Sea Fleet.
Let that sink in to grasp the vital, strategic importance of the area, and it is not “unprecedented,” either.
In 2014, the Russians “annexed” (a polite/politically-correct word for “conquered”) Crimea, in Ukraine.
Why? Because of Sevastopol.
Sevastopol is the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
As it was then, so it is now, and more. Kaliningrad is vital to the Russian military, and in Russian eyes, it cannot be allowed to be taken over. It enables Russia to forgo the use of a “bypass route” using the Arctic Ocean and going around the Scandinavian nations. The missiles there also give Russia a “first-strike” potential against NATO.
Keep in mind: Russian military doctrine embraces a first-strike action if it (the State) feels “threatened” or “justified.” For more on this mindset, I strongly recommend any of Viktor Suvorov’s(pseudonym for Vladimir B. Rezun) works, such as Inside the Soviet Army or Spetsnaz. Although the technology has improved, the doctrine of the Soviet Motorized Rifle Regiment holds true today, as well as the “Friday Night Offensive,”both of which are subjects too large for the scope of this article.
(Placed in a survival situation by an EMP? Check out our free QUICKSTART Guide to what to eat when the lights go out.)
Additionally, there is the large Russian population to take into consideration.
There were attacks and atrocities committed against the eastern separatist provinces in the Donbass area of Eastern Ukraine. These are areas with 90 to 95% of their populations being ethnically and linguistically Russian. The same holds true here in Kaliningrad. The Russians are not going to take this blockade lightly, and they could very well use it as their “justification” to start a war. Once again: in Russian eyes, they would view starting it as a means of preventing an attack on their territory later.
Flawed viewpoint? First, let’s consider this: Hitler and Stalin signed a pact, and then Hitler initiated Operation Barbarossa and attacked Russia by surprise and without warning.
The Russians lost upwards of 20 million people in World War II: that is their mindset now…a beleaguered nation beset by NATO, their former Cold War enemies.
To make matters worse? When the Russian ambassador and his entourage were laying wreaths on the monuments to Russian soldiers in Warsaw this year, they were barraged with balloons filled with red paint. It might seem a small thing, but not if it was done to you or yours.
Let’s go a little deeper. What if the same type of thing…this blockade…happened in the United States? What if one of our seaports was blockaded by a naval armada and cut off from all markets in Europe? What if the intention was to “starve” out that seaport and eventually conquer it?
The thing about it is this: it already happened.
The Battle of Baltimore
From September 12 to 15, 1814, the British Navy blockaded the city of Baltimore during the War of 1812. They wanted to cut off all of our trade with France, land troops (which they did), and overtake the city. The result: we won the battle, and our National Anthem was born…right there in Baltimore’s harbor, on board a British ship.
I’m not justifying the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Instead, I have written (in prior articles, as well) how, with the “strong-arm tactics” of sanctions (economics) and military might (NATO troop deployments), the Western nations are trying to surround and nullify Russia’s capabilities in the march toward a Global Government, and a “New World Order”/World Totalitarian State.
Incrementally, the West is pushing Russia’s “buttons,” and it will not be long before they start pushing buttons of their own in response.
Regarding the blockade by Lithuania, here is a statement from Dmitry Peskov, who is Putin’s spokesman:
“We are analyzing this situation in a most serious way. Via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are delivering our position to our opponents.
In this situation, we are absolutely right. Regretfully, they [Lithuania] are not our partners any longer. They are our opponents now.”
Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail, and the situation can be defused through diplomacy. However, a peaceful solution is appearing more and more doubtful as both sides continue to amass troops, materials, and missiles. Kaliningrad is a “hot spot” that can escalate into a nuclear war, and in such a scenario, there will be no winners.
The saddest part of all of it? If it should happen, the ones who initiated it will be safe within their fully-stocked bunkers, created and supplied by tax-monies…while the ones who paid those taxes will be left outside to die. Keep fighting that good fight, and take care of one another.
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What are your thoughts?
Will this be the factor that draws Europe fully into the conflict, and then the United States? Or is this just another thing happening “over there?” Share your opinions on the blockade of Kaliningrad in the comments.
About Jeremiah Johnson
Jeremiah Johnson is the nom de plume of a retired Green Beret of the U.S. Army Special Forces. Mr. Johnson is also a Gunsmith and a Master Herbalist. He graduated from the Special Forces course at SERE (survival, evasion, resistance, and escape) School, and is an expert in small unit tactics, survival, and disaster-preparedness. He lives in a cabin in the Rocky Mountains of Western Montana.
Putin, will most likely cut off energy to the non friendlies, winter is coming.
This definitely is concerning. My immediate thoughts go toward-how would a war in Europe directly affect me and mine?
I know we would be drawn into the war and our troops would participate because we are NATO and because our allies are affected.
I know prices of everything would go even higher and supplies would be even more difficult to find.
There’s the possibility of direct confrontation with Russia on our border with them. And escalation of “cold war “ fears.
What else in practical terms would be the issues? Things that would directly affect the average person in the US?
I’ve been thinking that the world was heading for WWIII for about 15 years, since I learned that oil and gas supplies were likely to peak in the relatively near future, and knowing how unlikely it seemed that some sort of agreement would be reached with Russia on how to deal with diminishing supplies of oil and gas. So I’ve been doing what I could to research the question of how WWIII would be likely to impact the average person living in a NATO country.
My conclusions:
1. It depends greatly on whether your particular area is likely to be a military target or not. If not, you’ll mostly have to deal with shortages of pretty much everything and possible power cuts. If it is a potential military target, then you could lose literally everything: any and all of your possessions, your home, your family, your life, and if you are involved in combat even indirectly, your freedom, for any amount of time.
2. Try to make decisions early and think about them thoroughly. Do you want to be involved in fighting in any way, and if so, are you doing it clear-eyed about what’s at stake? Do you want to leave, and if so, where exactly? Do you want to stay where you are and batten down the hatches, and if so, are you sure you’ll have as much as possible about what you’ll need, and what will you do about other people who aren’t so well prepared? If you don’t think about these things now, you’ll be accepting by default what other people impose on you.
3. Think carefully about any area where you may have divided loyalties. Do you have relatives on the other side of the war? Do you want to fight for your country but disagree with your government? Do you belong to any group of people that may be seen as less trustworthy during the war? Wars have a way of forcing people choose their loyalties, and those people that are suspected of having divided loyalties usually have to prove it even more strongly than most.
4. We are preppers here, so more likely than most to think about worst-case-scenarios. Think about them by all means, and prepare in any way you can, but that doesn’t mean talking about them much. Defeatist talk isn’t welcome in a war.
5. Think about who you’d be willing to help and under what circumstances. Lots of people need help in a war.
6. No matter how hard it gets, it will eventually be over. Very often, people are so exhausted after a war that all they want to do is live in peace and return to the things they did before. But for those that manage to keep some of their energy, a time of chaos is also a time when new opportunities may arise. You probably won’t be able to take much advantage of anything during the war itself, but once it’s over, it could be your chance for a new life.
there are no diminishing gas or oil supplies. Oil is abiotic. It replenishes it’s self. what we do have is greed.
DragonMaker, Doly Garcia,
Good posts, good questions.
Best case scenario: Limited US/NATO on Russian forces, close to nuke exchange, draws a stalemate, cooler heads prevail, cease fire declared. Everyone agrees to escalate further is insanity (re: Nuke exchange), and some kind of peace accord is drawn up.
For a brief time, stock market crashes, oil skyrockets, instant recession.
Outliers: Would the US war time machine spin up? What of the national debt? More spending kick the US into hyperinflation with a recession at the same time (side note: We just might get that here soon, without a US on Russia war)?
(Okay, real best case would be Russia advances slow to a halt, Putin gets it and calls it quits with what he has gained. In exchange for a halt in hostilities, Putin gives back some of the territory as long as the Ukraine does not join NATO. Yeah, I made myself laugh too!)
Worse case: Direct US/NATO on Russian forces, Russia opts for their first strike nuke directive using small tactical nukes on the battlefield. Situation escalates from there, direct bombing of Russian military bases/infrastructure on Russian soil, anti-satellite weapons (either side), Russia uses hypersonic missiles on the EU. Each side keeps escalating, kicking it up a notch till we get a full on nuke exchange.
Everyone is fraked. The US is kicked back to the 1800s with some modern stuff mixed in.
Nuclear winter stops climate change in its tracks, no need for EVs!
Good times!
Nuclear attacks or MAD is survivable (can’t believe I said that) but Montana,Dakotas and Liz Cheney are gone… along with many bases in USA… the world survives (because oou arrogance in that if we don’t survive – no one does… we cannot destroy the planet we are too weak) but Russia, USA, and potentially part of China are uninhabited… someone somewhere else rises.
To add,
Most likely scenario: US/NATO proxy war against Russia. Despite advanced weapons (go long on Raytheon, Winchester, and other MIC companies) pouring into the Ukraine, the Ukrainians lose territory and eventually lose over all, government in exile. 1980s Afghanistan mujahideen like warfare? Or having more in common with Russians than Afghans, would they accept the situation to go back to a “normal” life?
Least likely scenario: The Ukrainians rally, push back Russian forces and win back everything they lost.
Regardless, the geo-political, economic (re: energy), landscape has changed. Those who can pivot and adjust accordingly or to their advantage will fare better than those who hold on to the old paradigm.
I feel our illustrious leaders in DC and in Brussels are like a has been prom queen/king, still thinking themselves at their yesteryear glory, and ignoring the frumpy, overweight and wrinkled person in the mirror. They will cling onto the old paradigm at everyone else’s determent.
Side note: While the WEF attempted to use COVID as a unique opportunity to shape the world with the Great Reset, looking around, seems they failed epically.
The number of the people who took the jab was far less than they wanted. New studies have shown the jab is less and less effective then the Big Pharma claimed. COVID passports did not take off as they wanted with some countries ditching the idea outright.
Sweden did not help.
In the US the SC declared the vaccine mandates un-Constitutional, a major blow to the WEF.
A Florida Fed judge ruled the airline mask mandates were unlawful. Interesting note, two weeks later the airline industry quietly noted physical altercations had dropped significantly. Some Branch COVIDians were butt hurt by that fact.
By extension of the WEF, the Biden admin, the Dems have taken a number of blows as of late. The Biden admin suffers the lowest polling numbers of any modern president. Many of the Biden policies Americans are either against or dont care.
The progressive woke policies many Americans are rejecting (again, an extension of the WEF policies).
The Jan6 hearing committee is suffering a major credibility issue. A recent CBS poll showed of 10 issues, the Jan6th hearing ranked last, with only 33% of Americans considering it a high priority, and 40% considering it a low priority to them. Inflation, the economy and crime were the top three. Three things the Biden admin, Dems and by extension the WEF all fail at.
“The US is kicked back to the 1800s”
800’s.
I like the thought of no EVs. If our infrastructure is toast, we could build one that ACTUALLY supports EVs! I dislike everything else.
Kennedy wasn’t around in 1948 -1949
Whoops! Thank you for catching that – updated 🙂
The whole situation is much more complicated than most people realize. Jeremiah is right about the New World Order actually initiating this, but Russia’s barbaric behavior in the wanton killing and raping of civilians doesn’t win them any points with potential sympathizers. Both sides are evil. The world will not end, but there will eventually be a nuclear exchange, with possibly London and Moscow being destroyed, among others, including some spots in the U.S. Brush up on your radiation survival methods.
who says the Russians are raping and killing civilians? your biased, zionist owned and run western media?
Really? I didn’t know Pres Kennedy was president in 1949….
JOHN F. KENNEDY was POTUS from 1961-1963. I think it was TRUMAN that was POTUS in 1949 and Eisenhower around that same time.
Truman was president from 45 to 53, Eisenhower from 53 to 61, Kennedy from 61 to 63.
Whoops! Thank you for catching that – updated 🙂
Whoops! Thank you for catching that – updated 🙂
Whoops! Thank you for catching that – updated 🙂
Most have ignored the fact that President Kennedy airlifted food to the Berliners nonstop during this period from 1948 to 1949.
It was Truman who sent airlifts to West Berlin.
Whoops! Thank you for catching that – updated 🙂
Wars and rumors of wars…
YES Wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, famine, drought, all of that is coming in our future and it’s closer than most realize. Buckle up and get your potassium iodide tablets…
You better have more than potassium iodide, like M-17 or newer gas masks, a protective rubber suit, with booties, and head covering, some radiation detectors, and dosemeters. About two to four feet of concrete or earth-filled sandbags all the way around you, and a large enough bunker to comfortably spend a minimum of 7 days after the fall-out of a nuke hits your area. That’s if your not caught in the blast zone, and become a meatless skeleton.
To Kate, Yes, Mathew 24 is a knockin’ at the door. I think that was a LoveSong groups theme song back in the late 1968
The “Cossack” song, about 1973 I think.
Buy a couple camper toilets while you’re at it ….
Interesting article. One comment. Kennedy was not president 1948-49.
Whoops! Thank you for catching that – updated 🙂
Kennedy was not president in1948-49
Whoops! Thank you for catching that – updated 🙂
Putin may be nuts, and a poor tactician, but he’s not going to nuke anyone. He’s not going to let a puppet state launch SS-N-26’s, either.
His solution is going to be the same as ours was back in 1948. He’ll fly supplies out of St. Petersburg to Kaliningrad. He’ll also ship supplies out of St. Petersburg. The distance by water (also the route an aircraft would have to take) is about 500 nautical miles.
Yes, Kaliningrad is headquarters of the Soviet, err Russian Baltic Sea Fleet, but there’s not much to it. A cruiser in drydock, two frigates, half a dozen corvettes, a handful of missile boats, half a dozen RO-ROs, and one Kilo class submarine. That’s a whopping TWO blue water vessels (and the sub).
It looks to me that I’m almost too late, I have been looking at obtaining (SANDBAGS) to start building my bunker, I kind of thought about building it around my container about three months ago. (U-Line) sells them and just recently put them in their catalog. I guess I better get a double order. Man….. I really hate filling and stacking sandbags. I did it when I was 21in December 1967 and had just arrived in VN. I remember stacking sandbags outside my tent when someone yelled out Merry Christmas. I just remember some of the responses being the typical GI response of grumbling GI’s.
wouldn’t it be easier to construct just the entrance, then rent a backhoe and pile dirt up around the rest?
Most of this is untrue. All of it is fearmongering, Russian propaganda, and at best, a huge misunderstanding.
On 3/15/22 the EU, of which Lithuania (and not the US) is a member, issued sanctions against Russia, which would include Kalingrad. There was a three month “adjustment period” for all parties to wrap up contracts, finish up business, and make appropriate arrangements. So, on June 15th, the sanctions went into effect.
The sanctioned items are things like coal, steel, rubber, construction materials, high tech items like chips etc. NOT food, NOT medicine; in fact, nearly 99% of Russia’s rail traffic from Belarus, on the border with Lithuania, and into Kalingrad, is not impacted. Nor is the movement of people back and forth prohibited. And, consider the following:
* Kalingrad’s international airport is open and busy, receiving a lot of these goods from Russia. The Kremlin has also recently designated at least 7 ships as bringing these sanctioned goods by sea from St. Petersburg to Kalingrad. The fact that Russia has to get these goods to Kalingrad in a more expensive and less convenient way is just too bad. That’s what happens when you invade a sovereign country, blow up hospitals and shopping malls and apartment buildings, kidnap children to your country, rape and steal and plunder at will. Other countries get to make your life more difficult.
* It’s kind of rich that Russia is whining about this so-called “blockade” that is not a blockade when it’s bottled up Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea and laid mines all around. THAT is a blockade. And they’re not letting food or medicine in or out, either. It’s the Ukrainian ports through which a huge amount of the world’s wheat is exported. Food shortages worldwide? THANKS PUTIN!
* It concerns me not but does not surprise me that Putin’s little pet poodle Lukashenko is in a lather about this. Belarus is what Putin wants Ukraine to be: a satellite of Russia and fully subservient to its masters in Moscow. For all intents and purposes, Belarus is a part of Russia.
So, what’s really going on here? A lot of this is connected to the announcement earlier this week that Sweden and Finland will be members of NATO. Putin thought he had a ringer in Erdogan, but ultimately learned that Turkey is always up for grabs. And while Russia is acting like this is no big deal, it definitely IS. There is also a bit of diplomatic theater going on between Putin, the EU, and NATO, and this hissy fit over the “blockade that is really not a blockade” of Kalingrad is part of that show. It puffs Putin up, makes him sound scarier and more threatening and to be taken more seriously. Sweden and Finland are blows to him. He wanted the Baltics to be more worried about Russia than he thought they were. This tantrum helps him feel he’s more feared.
Lastly… calm down. Take a deep breath. THINK. While Putin is certainly dangerous and possibly unhinged (“beware of an old man in a hurry”, as the saying goes), he’s not stupid. Nor are his generals and admirals. It makes no sense for him to be fighting the kind of war he’s fighting in the Ukraine AND a fight with multiple wealthy EU and NATO countries in the Baltics. Especially after the world has seen a lot of his army’s, um, “performance.”
Here is an excellent article explaining a lot of this:
https://www.propastop.org/eng/2022/06/27/fact-check-russia-falsely-claims-eu-sanctions-are-blockading-kaliningrad/
Russia is AT WAR with UKRAINE…Hence the mines and blockade.
Lithuania HAS NOT declared war on Russia yet imposes a blockade.
get your facts clear.
NATO made many promises and has BROKEN EVERY ONE.
I hope the nukes fly tonight.
This IS a big deal TO RUSSIA.
Dismissed,
E-7 Ret.
78-03
Some are of the opinion The New World Order or WEF is behind the current situation in the Ukraine/Russia.
I dont think anyone controls Putin, but Putin.
US lead Western foreign policy of NATO expansion Eastward (been more than a few papers written about it over a decade) is what got us here.
It seems the thinking of our illustrious leaders (sarc), is to get Russia bogged down in a long war to bleed the country, similar to the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. But back then, the collapse of oil prices had a lot to do with the Soviet era down fall.
This go around, oil, gas, and other energy commodity prices are not going down any time soon. For that matter, sanctions against Russia has allowed them to pivot to new markets (India, China), demanding payment for their energy in rubles or gold (and more than a few EU countries are quietly buying Russian oil under that paradigm).
Reportedly, France’s prime minister Macron, told Biden at the G7 summit that the Saudis are incapable of increasing oil production, in anticipation of Biden’s visit to the kingdom.
The IEA estimates Europe will have to cut natural gas usage by up to 30% if Russia halts gas flows. The US claims it will supply Europe with LNG, but the problem is Europe has limited LNG facilities and it takes years to build that kind of infrastructure. There also is a limited number of LNG ships, and apparently some green energy policy is forcing older ships off the market. Again, it is not like one can snap one’s finger and presto! Whole new fleet of LNG carriers, facilities and pipelines.
The US foreign policy is still operating under a US/Western lead uni-polar paradigm in the face of a emerging multi-polar one. More than a few countries see this and are seeking to take advantage of the situation to include some of our allies (e.g. Saudi Arabia). A Russia diplomat recently stated Russia is ready to leave the West behind and increase trading with the Asia markets. It has been noted Russian and China relations seem to be growing closer.
Just read a report that the EU is backing down from their stance of Lithuania blocking rail, and road shipments after Moscow threatened to retaliate. WWIII avoided for now?
Some are estimating the hostilities will continue till the end of the year and maybe even into 2023. Others say without direct US/NATO involvement, Russia will take the Ukraine.
Will our illustrious leaders (sarc) take us there?
true across the board.
“Will our illustrious leaders (sarc) take us there?”
they’d like to increase the body count on both sides, but they can’t “take us there”. there’s few general warfare troops left to send, and little ability to send them to that region in any case.
on our end there are three available fronts – economic, cyber, and nuclear. the nation of russia is winning on the economic front and likely to continue to do so. we are more vulnerable to cyber attack than they are, and any nuclear exchange will leave the remaining united states as a backward third world territory.
The fast-track incorporation of Sweden and Finland to NATO seems a good indication of something big coming up. The new M5 assault rifle seems another “loose” end that things could point out very soon in the direction of conflict. What I don´t like in all this, is that China is not as weak as 15 or 20 years ago, and their eagerness for world power is now greater than ever. They could very well be waiting for the right time to declare their support to Russia. This means kicking the chessboard, sword in hand.
all China has to do is cut off strategic metals from the US. The Us has no mass manufacturing ability right now.
true. but china’s finance economy is over-levered ten times more than that of the u.s. – if china cuts off trade their finance economy will implode, if you can believe it, faster than ours.
All China has to do is stop the ocean transport vehicles or just the loading of containers. Those containers transport the metals, electronics, furniture, toys, pet supplies, pharmaceuticals, auto components, clothing, and a tremendous amount of food related product. The US is hopelessly dependent upon China manufacturing, to where it is an obscene national security risk.
I recently saw that Sig Saur hit the “trifecta”. US military sidearm, M5 rifle, and the squad level full auto weapon. Field swapable barrels include 7.62×51 (.308 Win). The M14 of Korea and early Vietnam era has been reborn.
I was under the impression that Russia took possession of Crimea (which had been part of Russia longer than the US has been a country), by virtue of a referendum, not a conquest…
This is why Trump wanted Nato to start coughing up if they wanted to feed their insatiable obsessive compulsion for hegemonic Imperialism.
It’s the stuff of an entire book, but perpetuating the concept that all the major powers and their ‘antihills’ must continuously be prepared for war is both obsolete and a self-fullfilling end times prophesy.
Jeramiah is right on with the ‘threat’ reaction comparison of Putin. Boston was one example but a more modern-day one was the Cuban missile crisis. The Kennedy administration perceived it as too much too close and immediately proceeded to launch the entire SouthernU.S. Navy fleet and full air support for an overwhelming preemptive strike with an immediate ultimatum to stand down their missile operation and leave Cuba, or else. Russia chose to retreat.
The same psychology is in Ukraine. It comes down to who has the bigger balls to the wall and who stands to lose the most. Which will always be Nato if a so-called limited exchange erupts with tactical nukes.
In that case Putin will always prevail. He is actually succeeding in his ‘operation’ at this point in time, yes slowly, but certainly surely. He will not take much more bullshit from Lithuania, or anyone else.
Once Putin finishes taking the Dunbass area and controls all economic future progress of Ukraine, The Ukrainian CIA puppet President will have to make a decision. Surrender and make do with what you have left, or face more of the same harder times than you would have expected.
The Huge monkey wrench that could be tossed into the works is twofold. First off, people, in their natural tendency to favor underdogs, keep believing that the brave intrepid conscripts of Ukrainian people-who ALL tried to boogie in the early days until A national martial order for all untrained able bodied men 17-70 to remain in Ukraine to fight…or Else–will perservere and eventually stop the Russian Juggernaut?
This is just well planned propaganda continually spewed by the leftist MSM to help the Military Industrial Complex get richer selling weapons for Ukraine. The cold hot thermobaric and cluster bomb reality is that people pumped by cheap sports team psychology don’t get that Russia was the Number Two world military power before China started catching up. There’s no comparison to Ukraine. Yes, a combined Nato ground force would likely defeat Russia’s current regular army in a conventional land war, but never in an advanced modern air, missile, and tactical nuclear conflict.
Secondly, as soon as this Marxist regime gets the reality check that they will lose control of the Senate and Congress in Novermber, they might, in their cognitively distorted nihlist minds, decide to enable the old standby of an ‘October Surprise’ type gambit in the form of pumping up a heavy supply of the advanced long range smart missiles and other heavy strike conventional weapons to Ukraine to launch a frontal attack on Russian land, which would then escalate into a local tactical nuclear conflict.
Even if it didn’t escalate to intercontinental World War III, which it wouldn’t because all it would take for those big bad brazen Nato countries to back down whimpering with the tails of their U.S. mobile long range missile systems between their legs would be the sight of most of whatever cities that were left in the country vaporized by small tactical nukes in the 1st 15 minutes of Russia’s strike.
But even if only this limited conflict erupted, most of the world would be immediatel affected economically on an unpresedented scale.
This current administration would then declare a National Emergency and the DHS would enable a Martial Law rule which would effectively cancel all political activities and leave the Brandon cartel in absolute dictatorial control of everything you do and own, including bank accounts and other resources.
And as Jeramiah mentioned. The power elite would be all comfy cozy in their elaborate bunkers with all the food and security they could need for years enjoying the show like the last Beatles Concert.
While the rest of us would have to grip and struggle just to survive.
There’s still time for even us ‘Po folk’ to build up a supply of cheap food to last at least a year and seeds into a full growing season for your small backyard survival garden. Don’t think too elaborately, Stock important essentials that would seriously affect your life if you didn’t have them. Keeping warm in cold climate areas would be a priority as well. Electricity may be limited in many areas.
Good luck, my prepper friends, and stay focused.
The delay was not intentional..I was away from my desk. ????
“as soon as this Marxist regime gets the reality check that they will lose control of the Senate and Congress in Novermber”
why would they? dominion will vote for the leftists, as much as they need.
TO ALL OF THE READERS:
Please forgive me my mistaken typographical insertion of Kennedy instead of Truman.
I was thinking of his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech, and somehow I transposed his name into where Truman’s should have gone.
Sorry for my mistake!
(Burning myself in effigy),
J. J.
you are forgiven.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sulJSKwla6U
I have never made a mistake in my life.. no excuses accepted. 🙂
Very informative article–thanks! These are treacherous times. I would not be surprised if WWIII is triggered over this blockade. History is repeating itself. All because of the actions of the King of England and the Kaiser of Germany (who were first cousins) going to war in 1914, which led to the rise of Hitler (due to Germany’s devastation), WWII, Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe, etc.
“the ones who initiated it will be safe within their fully-stocked bunkers, created and supplied by tax-monies…while the ones who paid those taxes will be left outside to die”
that’s the intent.
always is.
Yes, they are safe because of us, but would they give ANY credit to the citizens? No need to answer.
It’s a fair question: what would our 3% army do if we are dragged into war against Russia? Would it trigger a civil war here? Or would it be suckered into the romantic notion of fighting for freedom against the Russian ‘commies? Or would it do nothing, or other?
It seems to me that the diplomatic abilities of our Ugly American government are almost zero. Perhaps our fork-tongued career federal politicians are focused on how to use an international emergency in this eminent election cycle to justify using ’emergency’ powers, rationalizing doing whatever they want – for a very long time. I think the temptation is just too strong.
Sun Tzu says attack your enemy like a (overwhelming, fast) storm. Do not corner your enemy, for it will turn him into an unbeatable foe. Methinks Russia is taking too long in defeating Ukraine.
StormN,
Could you clarify your first question? Not sure I am tracking.
Using an international emergency and emergency powers to do whatever they want prior to the mid-terms?
On one hand, sounds a bit tinny.
On the other, I had the same thoughts as of late.
I agree. However, the Army will fight if ordered, but for how long is the bigger question… (FYI I served as an Infantry Bde Commander 2X in AE… plus served in Iraq… spent many years working in Eastern Europe post Soviet rule…doesn’t mean I know everything;however, have vast experience in this srea) we take orders we don’t make policy.
it’s all done by design to fool the masses….
I suppose you could call the Crimean people holding a referendum and having so decided, asking Russia to re-incorporate them into the Russian Federation as instead being “conquered.”
It will be interesting to see if the Balts actually warrant an Article 5 response. It will no doubt be the Brits who fire the first nukes for the Balts even as their own shores are being overrun by Africans.
Not sure why my comment has been held up in moderation for several hours now, but here goes again:
Most of this is untrue. All of it is fearmongering, Russian propaganda, and at best, a huge misunderstanding.
On 3/15/22 the EU, of which Lithuania (and not the US) is a member, issued sanctions against Russia, which would include Kalingrad. There was a three month “adjustment period” for all parties to wrap up contracts, finish up business, and make appropriate arrangements. So, on June 15th, the sanctions went into effect.
The sanctioned items are things like coal, steel, rubber, construction materials, high tech items like chips etc. NOT food, NOT medicine; in fact, nearly 99% of Russia’s rail traffic from Belarus, on the border with Lithuania, and into Kalingrad, is not impacted. Nor is the movement of people back and forth prohibited. And, consider the following:
* Kalingrad’s international airport is open and busy, receiving a lot of these goods from Russia. The Kremlin has also recently designated at least 7 ships as bringing these sanctioned goods by sea from St. Petersburg to Kalingrad. The fact that Russia has to get these goods to Kalingrad in a more expensive and less convenient way is just too bad. That’s what happens when you invade a sovereign country, blow up hospitals and shopping malls and apartment buildings, kidnap children to your country, rape and steal and plunder at will. Other countries get to make your life more difficult.
* It’s kind of rich that Russia is whining about this so-called “blockade” that is not a blockade when it’s bottled up Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea and laid mines all around. THAT is a blockade. And they’re not letting food or medicine in or out, either. It’s the Ukrainian ports through which a huge amount of the world’s wheat is exported. Food shortages worldwide? THANKS PUTIN!
* It concerns me not but does not surprise me that Putin’s little pet poodle Lukashenko is in a lather about this. Belarus is what Putin wants Ukraine to be: a satellite of Russia and fully subservient to its masters in Moscow. For all intents and purposes, Belarus is a part of Russia.
So, what’s really going on here? A lot of this is connected to the announcement earlier this week that Sweden and Finland will be members of NATO. Putin thought he had a ringer in Erdogan, but ultimately learned that Turkey is always up for grabs. And while Russia is acting like this is no big deal, it definitely IS. There is also a bit of diplomatic theater going on between Putin, the EU, and NATO, and this hissy fit over the “blockade that is really not a blockade” of Kalingrad is part of that show. It puffs Putin up, makes him sound scarier and more threatening and to be taken more seriously. Sweden and Finland are blows to him. He wanted the Baltics to be more worried about Russia than he thought they were. This tantrum helps him feel he’s more feared.
Lastly… calm down. Take a deep breath. THINK. While Putin is certainly dangerous and possibly unhinged (“beware of an old man in a hurry”, as the saying goes), he’s not stupid. Nor are his generals and admirals. It makes no sense for him to be fighting the kind of war he’s fighting in the Ukraine AND a fight with multiple wealthy EU and NATO countries in the Baltics. Especially after the world has seen a lot of his army’s, um, “performance.”
Here is an excellent article explaining a lot of this:
https://www.propastop.org/eng/2022/06/27/fact-check-russia-falsely-claims-eu-sanctions-are-blockading-kaliningrad/
well stated – thank you…
Lorraine, food shortages have nothing to do with PUTIN, neither is his army weak, or the gas price his doing.. they all fall under the WEF plan in case no one noticed.. why send so many arms to Ukraine, what are they doing with them? stockpiling for WW3?
Yeah, I wouldn’t have done that. Or maybe we meow meow pretended to provide weapon support…
Your statements ARE real propaganda, all coming from MSM. Even in Ukraine, they recognized and got rid of that Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) member who was misinforming (read lying) about the kind of war they are fighting. And just look into our own eye, instead of noticing something in someone else’s, and don’t forget the kind of all those military actions all over the world of our great country. So, the question should be- who needs it? Why not start peace agreements instead of prolonging this? And don’t even start about fearmongering… First COVID, now this. They’ve been doing it in Ukraine since 2014 very visibly (and just admitted it publicly), but in fact, even before. Who needs that? But you can believe what you prefer.
Yeah, right. We have every right to dominate any country we choose, like blockading Cuba while occupying part of her for the past many decades. But heaven forbid any other world power should undertake such an action. You essentially imply that any immoral actions taken by the US to overpower other nations is fine, but when another country does the exact same thing – or even a lesser but similar aggression, they are evil. Castro managed to divest Cuba of US mobsters who were doing awful things there. And while we helped Cuba free themselves from Spanish rule, we then imposed special provisions which permitted us to dominate them (essentially replacing the Spanish). But it’s the US that’s evil? You need to revise your measuring stick.
This plays right into Albert Pike’s comments about a 3rd world war will initiate the Luciferian global takeover of all nations. Why do you think their is such a stir among Americans about abortions being handed down to the states?
High uptick in violence, murder, assault, etc? This is all spiritual initiating a very old ancient evil since the beginning of time meanwhile many churches are entertaining and raking in mammon.
exactly. it’s all spiritual.
they are open to resupply by ship.
kai kurie žmonės nemąsto pakankamai giliai, kad tai suprastų… (some people do not think deeply enough to understand that)
Given recent announcements of raising NATO troop numbers in Europe to 300K+, I don’t see Russia waiting for that to happen before resolving the situation with Lithuania. The longer Russia waits to act decisively, they put themselves into a more disadvantageous military position. Their best chance to prevail, and maybe their only chance, is to act immediately and forcefully and then deal with what comes later.
NATO doesn’t have anywhere near 300k troops to keep on QR alert.
According to the Lithuanian government the blockade is not total. It covers only those materials being sanctioned by the EU and is being phased in under the EU’s timeline.
The Russians’ whole point of hanging on to Kaliningrad after the collapse of the USSR was to provide a forward base for aggression to re-establish the Russian empire in eastern Europe. The Swedish island of Gotland is one of Russia’s primary targets, especially now that Sweden will be joining NATO, since aircraft and missiles based on Gotland combined with those based at Kaliningrad can completely bottle up the Baltic Sea and prevent American reinforcement of the Baltic States and Polsnd, should Russia attack them.
Putin is a thug, and he’ll try this sooner or later.
Yes Putin is not a choir boy. But the idiots running the EU and European nations are not either. The US is by far the most evil and corrupt nation ever to exist. all under the control of zionist Israel.
Brian: you haven’t seen Russia nor China, have you? The answer is pretty obvious.
The U.S. is at its most corrupt and evil in its history, but it has a ways to go before becoming as corrupt as many other countries, as is endemic in much of Asia.
The blocking off of Kaliningrad by Lithuania (and IMO Poland as well) is all smoke and mirrors. This play came down just as Russia has reduced the Ukie army to the laughingstock of the potentials in the reality tv show called: “ Who wants to be a member of NATO!?” in a hundred days. Look at the amount real estate they have taken with their third string conscript forces, really, really look at it. It’s practically the size of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania combined.
This blockade was war-gamed by the Soviet (ahem, er) Russian generals and admirals during the planning phase of this war. Now the communist run propagandists here in the USA are reporting that the Russkies are running out of medium range missiles? Right.. where have I heard that one before.
No, this won’t lead to WWIII. Not this anyway. It’s coming no doubt. This was a propaganda move played by Lithuania on behalf of their NATO handlers. “ Brave little lithuania is standing up for democracy against the Russian bear”..oooh brrr. I get chills just reading my own words. Not.
yes, the US is so full of propaganda. Everything people in the US/WESTERN EUROPE is lies.
OUR DEAR LORD JESUS IS ALIVE AND WELL,hes also watching whats going on in the world,BUT HE SAYS AMERICA will be the ones to start WW3 not russia or anyone else,SO the leaders of america want war with the world,ARE YOU READY TO DIE AMERICA,the LORD says your time has ran out,you love EVIL,well you’ll love whats coming at the hands of your leaders……
You got it backwards. It’s creep Putin that’s annoying the crap out of everybody in his bid to remain dictator. Even Russians who travel know the Western posture is entirely defensive and has been pretty weak at that. Meanwhile Vlad has been running around for years (getting sympathy from types like you} bragging how he could nuke anybody. Not really a resonable type I think you might agree. Nice essay otherwise.
Agree with some of the article;however, history tells us or demonstrates weakness is ALWAYS met with violence and attacks… so to show weakness and fecklessness in the face of Russian aggression will backfire. I think the west unplanned responses (non-strategic)is a problem for Putin… he either escalates or stands too.
Not good. Pray. Prayers for the Russian and Ukrainian people being used in Satans plot.
PRAYERS FOR ALL PEOPLE.
According to Hal Turner’s analysis that’s covered on his website, Crimea voted to return to Russia of their own free will.
They were not “taken over”.
Halturnerradioshow.com
Only after Russia invaded in 2014. That’s also when Russia started sending troops into Dombas and pretending that they were Russian speaking separatists.
I don’t know if it will but I do know the West is purposely goading a war with Russia, some say recklessly.
We are shoving Russia into a corner is quite obvious and why they had to invade Ukraine in the first place to save face.
You can see Putin back down a little, but if they (globalist liars) win over Russia they’ll win over America too and soon you won’t have a Constitution either, if not, already.
Its not my job to care about Kaleningradians. I hope they don’t all starve (seems unlikely since there is not a blockade) but if they do, they will not be the first or the last humans to do so.
It’s a cruel world.
•I’m no expert
•My opinion changes nothing
•I can only control what I can control
•Today is all I have
•No matter what happens in and around Russia I’ll still get up at 04:00 and go to work
You remind me of that guy that commented he started to work at 15, he has never stopped, he is 50 years old or something, his wife hates him and he is not afraid to die at all.
I found that morbidly funny.
Am I clear…in your article you stated that Russia is on the march toward a Global Government, and a “New World Order”/World Totalitarian State?
“the Western nations are trying to surround and nullify Russia’s capabilities in the march toward a Global Government, and a ‘New World Order’/World Totalitarian State.”
no, the “internationalist” new-world-order march is trying to nullify nationalist russia.
I hope Russia NUKES every NATO center today.
Vilnius, Lithuania should be first, then LONDON, then BERLIN, then Warsaw, then Washington DC with 10 nukes.
NATO, the USA and the EU are SATAN LED SCUM and need to MELT.
A nuke war would go along way towards ridding the USA of LIBERAL/COMMIE scum.
I never met a “Gay” prepper in my long life.
Carry On,
Gunny
You have serious issues and far too many to enumerate.
The fact that you blithely HOPE for a nuclear attack tells us what kind of person you are. Adding a completely unrelated insult about gay people was just the punctuation mark.
“I never met a ‘Gay’ prepper in my long life”
oh they’re around, dude. and be careful, they are no-nonsense mean ….
Lots of MIS-INFO in your post as usual.
The USA has not been on the right side of a war in 200 years.
NATO and Lithuania are 100% WRONG.
Crimea was not “conquered”, they VOTED to leave Nazi-Ukraine.
I hope Russia strikes HARD and FAST against ALL NATO headquarters and decision centers.
LONDON, BERLIN, DC all need to melt.
That would solve countless problems worldwide.
Dismissed,
Gunny
25 years and you couldn’t make Master?
This is the soft, chaotic civilian world, where you can dismiss 2 things.
Jack and shit. And I don’t see Jack here.
Misreadingtheriver sends.
Laisva Lietuva!
Russia didn’t conquer Crimea. I watched the developments dy byfdayon the mainstream news, which has now forgotten and promotes lie of conquest and unilateral annexation. Crimea got spooked by the Maidan coup and declared independence after a referndum. Then it had another vote and asked Russia to take them back in – they were Russian for 300 years before Kruschev shifted them to Ukraine.
First of all, World War III has already started.
It has been in the planning stage for over three decades, waiting for the right time to strike.
The WEF is a communist front, most likely controlled by Moscow. Not only do they push communist ideas, but Klaus Schwab has a bust of his hero Lenin in his office.
The communist block does not believe in MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction). Rather they think that by using nuclear weapons, they can win.
Plans that they made over 30 years ago 1) the CCP and the Soviets would pretend to become enemies, or at least rivals, 2) the Soviets would pretend to be defeated leading to the West to disarm unilaterally 3) China would use bribes (cheap wages) to industrialize itself while deindustrializing the rest of the world, especially the U.S. 4) shortly before the actual battle, try to destabilize their target by economic and social sabotage, hopefully starting civil war 5) attack suddenly with all the power that can be mustered. This is both Russia (Soviet) and China (CCP) acting together with salvos of airburst nuclear weapons. (Airburst nuclear weapons leave very little radiation, but the resulting shockwaves do extensive destruction and death.)
We are now in step #4 with supply chain breakdown, arson at food production facilities and the distraction of the WEF pretending to be against the Soviets. Add to that the violence from Antifa egged on by traitors in our government. And the attempts by those traitors for civilian disarmament.
Step #5 will see sudden disabling if not destruction of our overage Minuteman missiles in their silos, our bombers caught on the ground and destroyed, much of our navy caught in harbor and destroyed, and several of our cities flattened with tens of millions dead. This can all happen within an hour. Then comes the invasion. That’s why our enemies want civilian disarmament. They must have the invasion to finish us off. Millions of armed civilians can spell big problems for the invasion.
These plans were already brought to the West by defectors during the Cold War, but very few believed them. A fellow named Jeff Nyquist has read their books and met with many of them, and he discusses those plans at http://www.jrnyquist.blog .
By the way, the spat between Lithuania and Russia has almost no bearing on the total picture.
“Millions of armed civilians can spell big problems for the invasion”
if a sufficient number of civilians are fit and competent and motivated, sure. given our present state, that’s a big if.
Perhaps this is why Covid exists and Covid vaxxes are nearly mandatory, especially for the military personal and combat aged males (people).
The Russian bear may be the Daniel 7:5 bear. If so, Russia will arise and devour much flesh after 3 ribs are seen in its mouth between its teeth. These 3 ribs could be Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk. Within a week or so, the Luhansk Peoples Republic will be in complete control of Russia. That only leaves Donetsk. After Donetsk falls get ready for nuclear war, and that includes within the USA. All this could happen within a few months.