Many people do not realize that Russia kept a military base for itself in northeastern Europe (which is still Russian territory) after the Soviet Union fell. It is called the Kaliningrad Oblast, and it is home to many units of the Russian military forces. I’m quite sure that Americans, who are taught little about world geography, are mostly unaware of this Russian base still in Europe, but I’d bet many Europeans are knowledgeable about it. Kaliningrad is actually part of Russia and its 5,800 square miles are located between Poland and Lithuania.
Kaliningrad used to be the old Prussian seaport of Konigsberg, and the first link below (from Wikipedia) refers to its “strategic importance” and that fact that its “density of military infrastructure was the highest in Europe.” Russia recently threatened to position nuclear weapons in this Russian European base. A map of its location is found in the upper right-hand corner of the first Wikipedia page.
The second link reports that many of Russia’s Cold War forces in Eastern Europe were simply relocated to Kaliningrad after the Soviet Union fell. Those forces included between 100,000 and 200,000 Russian military personnel in army, tank and artillery units, helicopter units, 88 warships of various sizes and 195 Russian warplanes. The third link (dated in 1997) indicates that Russian forces were then estimated to be lower in military personnel, but higher in numbers of naval ships and warplanes and it also stated that 1100 main battle tanks and 1300 armored vehicles were in Kaliningrad. It also mentions surface-to-surface missiles were based there. Force levels can fluctuate, but, by any standard, this is a large Russian military force located within NATO’s surrounding territory!
If war ever breaks out between NATO and Russia (which Ezekiel 38-39 prophesies will begin with a Russian-led invasion), Russia will be able to launch that war into the heart of Europe with a 5,800 square mile beachhead already located on continent of Europe. Kaliningrad’s location is of great strategic importance. Whenever the attack prophesied in Ezekiel 38-39 occurs, think how many hundreds of cruise missiles and hundreds of warplane sorties from Russian Kaliningrad could take place in the opening minutes and hours of a future World War III. Just imagine how many key NATO military bases and key infrastructures could be taken out by a surprise attack from Russia’s base inside NATO’s European perimeter.
Keep in mind that I have not (and do not) predict when this attack will occur. My personal opinion is that it is a number of years off yet, but…I could be wrong on that timing. What Ezekiel 38-39 is clear about is that such an attack will occur at the end of the latter days of our age. Many European nations are descended from the migrating ten tribes of “Israel” (the target of the Ezekiel 38 attack), and Ezekiel 38 prophesies the entire “house of Israel” (Ezekiel 39:12) will be attacked so the mainland European NATO nations will all be attacked along with the USA, the UK etc.
Interestingly, Ezekiel 38:15 prophesies that the attack against the modern nations of the ten tribes of Israel will begin from the north. My recent TruNews.com shortwave radio program (available at this website) details how the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand would be hit from the north by Russia, China, etc. Russia’s Kaliningrad military base is in the far north of the European continent so mainland Europe would also be quickly attacked from the north when the prophesied Ezekiel 38-39 war begins.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaliningrad
http://www.russiansabroad.com/russian_history_337.html
http://www.gwu.edu/~ieresgwu/assets/docs/ponars/pm_0010.pdf
