The data suggest thousands of Russian troops, aircraft, and naval units are stationed roughly 250 km east of Finland’s capital, Helsinki.
Strategic importance of the Suwałki Gap
Experts warn that Moscow’s maneuvers could be aimed at seizing Poland’s 65-kilometer land corridor with Lithuania, known as the Suwałki Gap.
Control of this narrow stretch—bordered by Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave and Belarus—would significantly undermine NATO’s ability to reinforce the Baltic states by land, leaving maritime routes as the only option for supplies and troop movements.
Threat to Baltic security
Defense analysts consider the Suwałki Gap one of the alliance’s most vulnerable spots. Any Russian assault could isolate Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, making logistical support difficult and exposing supply lines to attacks.
Viljar Veebel, a Baltic defense specialist at the OECD and Estonia’s National Defence College, told Onet that “Russia still wants to control the Suwałki Gap, which would mean an attack on NATO territory.”
According to Onet, Russia has allocated $462 billion—about one-third of its total budget—to defense expenditures, raising concerns across Europe. In response, NATO has reportedly devised a new defensive strategy, including a rapid-reaction force of 300,000 troops ready to deploy within 30 days.
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Source: Onet, Polskie Radio 24