Russia’s Kaliningrad would fall quickly in a war with NATO, U.S. general says

According to a July 17 report by Defense News, Donahue made the comments at the LandEuro conference Wiesbaden, Germany. The conference is run by the Association of the U.S. Army.

Donahue said the enclave is roughly 75 kilometers wide on the Lithuanian side and is surrounded by NATO countries. Allied forces can “take that down from the ground in a timeframe that is unheard of and faster than we’ve ever been able to do,” he said.

NATO has already begun implementing its Eastern Flank Containment strategy, Donahue added. The plan is designed to reinforce the Alliance’s ground capabilities in Europe and further integrate its defense industrial base.

Under the program, NATO allies are accelerating work on standardized digital systems, unified launchers, and a cloud-based coordination architecture to better deter threats from Russia.

On July 15, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov briefed U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg on intelligence that Russia is preparing to attack NATO in the coming years. The briefing included details of the current operational situation, an assessment of Russia’s plans through 2036, and information on Kremlin preparations for an armed conflict with NATO members.

On July 6, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Russia could attack Estonia within five to seven years unless members increase their defense spending.

In March, German intelligence reported that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is preparing for a large-scale war with NATO by the end of the decade.