Russia is so vast it spans 11 time zones stretching as far west as Norway and as far east as Japan, but few people know it also has a territory nestled in central Europe.

Kaliningrad Oblast is Russia‘s westernmost territory, bordering Lithuania and Poland.

Its location means residents can travel frequently to the EU, so Russians living here may be much closer to their European neighbours, both in distance and lifestyle.

“Even a trip to a Polish supermarket can have an influence on people. They see Europe for themselves and not through a television screen,” sociologist Anna Alimpiyeva told The Guardian back in 2018.

However, following the invasion of Ukraine, tensions emerged, and Poland began building a wall along the border with Kaliningrad due to fears Russia may try to facilitate illegal migration to destabilise its economy.

Today, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the building of defensive lines along the border with Russia as part of the “East Shield” initiative.

Lithuania also restricted the transit of goods such as coal, metals and construction materials through its territory, which covers about half of all goods Kaliningrad receives from the mainland. Russia increased shipments to the region in response and train sanctions were lifted.

Kaliningrad Oblast doesn’t share a border with Russia and it sits about 412 miles west of the bulk of the country, meaning it’s in a strategic position in the Schengen Zone between two NATO countries.

In the event of a war between NATO and Russia, Russian and Belarusian forces linking up across the Suwalki Gap – the shortest path between Belarus and Kaliningrad Oblast – would cut off the only land route to all three Baltic States.

Kaliningrad is home to the Baltic Fleet and advanced air defence systems, which allow for rapid deployment. The military conducts frequent exercises involving air, naval, and ground forces in Kaliningrad.

Despite its location, the city has nods to the Soviet era, like the brutalist architecture of the 28-storey House of the Soviets. Until 1991, the entire Kaliningrad region was strictly off-limits to foreigners.

It formerly was known as Königsberg and was the capital of Prussia until 1701, when the capital was transferred to Berlin. It remained a German city until the closing days of World War II.

Soviets launched an offensive against German forces in East Prussia, capturing the city in April 1945, and in 1946 it was named Kaliningrad after Soviet leader Mikhail Kalinin.

It had previously been home to over 2.6 million Germans, but they were largely expelled, and the area was repopulated with Russians and Soviet citizens. According to the last census, it’s now home to about one million residents.

Russia is nearly the same size as South America, and it’s so vast it borders Norway and North Korea.