Kaliningrad was the smallest oblast [an exclave] located 200 miles away from the border of Russia. Kaliningrad is home to the westernmost and the only non-freezing port of Russia and the Baltic states on the Baltic Sea. When the U.S.S.R collapsed in 1991 it became separated from the rest of Russia by independent countries. Politically when Poland and Lithuania became members of NATO and the European Union in 2004. Now all military and civilian land links between the region and the rest of Russia have to pass through members of NATO and the EU. [Hate to be them!]