NATO's Protest and Russia's Response to the Deployment of Russian Missiles in Kaliningrad

NATO has once again protested the deployment of Russian missiles in the port of Kaliningrad, calling it a "hostile" act, while the Kremlin states that Moscow's action is merely a response to NATO's "hostile" actions. According to the Associated Press, the military organization emphasized in a statement on Tuesday, November 23, that Moscow's action not only does not help reduce tensions but also destabilizes and makes our relations with Russia unpredictable. NATO then called for clarification on military actions to avoid potential misunderstandings between states and the incidents that may arise from them. Moscow has always opposed NATO's deployment of military units near Russia's borders and is now preparing to deploy missile launch platforms in Kaliningrad, a region outside Russia's main territory located between Poland and Lithuania and adjacent to the Baltic Sea. One day before NATO's announcement, Vladimir Putin warned in statements reported by Russian news agencies that Moscow would target NATO bases if it feels threatened by them. The British newspaper The Guardian also published statements from Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Vladimir Putin, on Wednesday, stating that the transfer of Russian missiles to Kaliningrad is a logical response to Western "aggressions." He said, "If NATO expands to Russia's borders, then Russia will take any necessary actions to ensure its security. NATO is essentially a hostile group, and therefore Russia must do everything it can, and in this case, Russia's sovereignty requires it to take necessary actions throughout its territory." Russia announced earlier this fall that it would transfer Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad for military exercises. According to The Guardian, these missiles have a very complex system and the ability to change course mid-operation, allowing them to target objectives over 500 kilometers away.