The key facts

  • The radar in the Gvardeysky district detects aircraft, missiles and ships at a distance of up to 3,000 km
  • Construction began in March 2023; it may be the 29B6 Kontainer complex
  • A second circular radar with a diameter of more than 1,600 meters is being built in the Chernyakhovsky district

A radar 37 km from the border with Poland

In Russia's Kaliningrad region, construction of a huge radar station is nearing completion, which will allow the military to detect aircraft, missiles and ships at a distance of up to 3,000 km. This is reported by Deutsche Welle. The complex is being built in the Gvardeysky district, 37 kilometers from the border with Poland, and its coverage area may span most of Europe, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Ukraine.

What is visible on satellite images

Satellite images show three rows of antennas, each more than 500 meters long; the site is surrounded by two rows of fencing. According to the Polish outlet Defence24, construction began in March 2023. It is likely a station similar to the 29B6 Kontainer complex: it operates in the shortwave range, with signals reflected off the ionosphere, allowing it to detect distant objects. Russian military officials claimthat the Kontainer is capable of simultaneously tracking up to 10,000 air targets, including F-35 aircraft.

Assessments by military figures and analysts

Retired Lithuanian army colonel Vaidotas Malinionis believes the new radar could give the Russian command additional time to make decisions in the event of a conflict with NATO, and that data obtained through the station could be used in planning offensive operations. At the same time, according to him, due to its large size, the radar is an easy target. Latvian military analyst Evija Dzatkoviča believes the station will help the Russian military detect low-flying objects, including drones, which could reduce the effectiveness of drone use by NATO countries.

A second radar and the region's military infrastructure

Defence24 also reports on a second large circular radar with a diameter of more than 1,600 meters, which is being built in the Chernyakhovsky district of the region; its construction also began in March 2023. The two facilities may be linked, but the purpose of the second complex is unknown. In total, according to the outlet, the region hosts more than 20 electronic intelligence and warfare facilities. Malinionis claims that Russia could station up to a hundred nuclear warheads in the Kaliningrad region; high-ranking sources from Poland and Lithuania have stated that some of them have already been deployed in the region.