Poland, in tandem with its NATO partners, has signaled a measured and adequate response to the actions observed from the Russian Federation in the Kaliningrad region. This stance was outlined by Poland’s Deputy Minister of National Defence, Wojciech Skurkiewicz, on a recent Saturday.
Commenting on Russia’s deployment of MiG fighters armed with hypersonic Dagger missiles in the western part of the country, Skurkiewicz stressed that Warsaw fully understands the evolving security dynamics:
Our measures, coordinated with allies and NATO leadership, will remain appropriate and sufficient to address the threats and actions attributed to the Russian Federation in Kaliningrad.
Skurkiewicz conveyed these assurances to the Polish Press Agency.
The deputy head of Poland’s defence ministry emphasized that cooperation occurs within the North Atlantic Alliance framework, which underpins Poland’s security. If a genuine threat arises, Article 5 of the NATO Charter would trigger a collective defense response — if one member is attacked, all are protected.
He noted that these guarantees have always been in effect and are reaffirmed by allies, including U.S. leadership and President Joe Biden, and that Poland has long reinforced NATO’s eastern flank through troop deployments and joint exercises. He added that a NATO battle group operates in eastern Poland under the multinational North-East division’s command.
It is important to point out that Kaliningrad is a semi-exclave, lacking a land border with Russia’s main territory and connected mainly by sea. The region borders Poland to the south and Lithuania to the north and east.
Strengthening NATO’s eastern flank
In this broader context, eastern flank nations have urged the United States to accelerate arms deliveries and to consider expanding American military presence in the region, a development reported by major outlets.
As Washington and NATO increase personnel and equipment in Eastern Europe in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, vulnerable allies such as Latvia seek stronger defenses amid concerns about future aggression.
Ukraine, while not a NATO member, remains a close partner and is among the countries seeking greater Western military support. The narrative notes President Biden’s administration has pledged to intensify exercises in the region to bolster air defense and other critical capabilities, extending beyond Latvia to include the Baltic states and other areas within reach of potential threats.
What is known about Daggers
On 17 August, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that three MiG-31I aircraft equipped with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles were moved to the Chkalovsk airfield in Kaliningrad as part of enhanced strategic deterrence measures. The Kinzhal system uses hypersonic missiles launched from MiG-31 fighters and serves as a high-speed, long-range strike option.
The Kinzhal missiles possess low radar visibility and high maneuverability, designed to attack land and sea targets. With speeds around Mach 10 and ranges exceeding two thousand kilometers, these missiles can maneuver through segments of their trajectory to challenge air defenses. The system can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, with a warhead mass around 500 kilograms. These missiles have seen combat use since a specific operation in Ukraine earlier in the campaign.
How NATO is expanding
NATO is a collective defense alliance, and nations seeking membership undergo a multi-stage process that includes political dialogue and military integration. The alliance has moved through several enlargement phases, including the period following German reunification in 1990 and subsequent expansions. Debates about commitments or understandings regarding eastward expansion have persisted in public discourse, with various positions from different leaders and blocs discussed over time.
Current applications from Finland and Sweden, submitted in 2022, remain in progress as part of ongoing enlargement considerations. Public opinion polls in regional populations show a spectrum of views on NATO expansion, with many Russians expressing concerns about security dynamics. A notable portion of respondents associates the widening alliance with potential risk, while others view it as a stabilizing factor in regional security. In this climate, discussions continue about the implications of NATO’s presence and the use of nuclear options if conflicts intensify.