Moving “Iskanders” to Kaliningrad is not new for Baltics, but there are things to worry about - Latvian Researcher

What You Need To Know:

✅ Russia has deployed nuclear-capable missiles called ‘Iskanders’ to Kaliningrad, a Russian town, sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania;
✅ The missiles have a 700-km range,  which means they can reach Berlin;
✅ “These missiles have been in Luga, bordering city in Eastern Part of Estonia, for years”;
✅ “I don’t see any reasons to be on alert...We should be worried only if Russia would build new ships and missiles”.

Russia deployed nuclear-capable missiles called ‘Iskanders’ to Kaliningrad, a Russian town, sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.’ At first, this fact was placed in doubt, but  later on Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed moving ‘Iskanders’ to the border with Poland. 

Estonian PM said it was alarming since Russia cancelled a plutonium disposal agreement in recent weeks.

But Nora Vanaga , a researcher at the Centre for Security and Strategic Research at Lativa's National Defense Academy, says there is no reason to be worried. 
“These missiles have been in Luga, bordering city in Eastern Part of Estonia for years, since 2011. Estonia, Latvia and other countries have been living under the effect radius all the time. ” she says.

Nora Vanaga adds that it is not a new problem for Baltic countries.

“Everybody should be concerned in the region if Russians would implement a project of frigates, each of what can carry 6 or 7 cruise missiles.” she claims.
Last year, during the same type of military drills Russia did not send Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad. According to the Moscow-based Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, the Kremlin will likely deploy nuclear capable missiles to permanent positions along NATO’s border by 2019.

Hromadske's Nataliya Gumenyuk spoke with Nora Vanaga , a researcher at the Centre for Security and Strategic Research at Lativa's National Defense Academy.