Russia says NATO practices Kaliningrad blockade

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko has stated that scenarios for a naval blockade of the Kaliningrad region are being practiced during the Joint Expeditionary Force exercises. The JEF is a UK-led multinational force that includes several NATO members and partners. Grushko's comments frame the exercises as a direct threat to the Russian exclave, which is situated between NATO members Poland and Lithuania. This accusation comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the Western military alliance.