Russia deploys Iskander missiles to EU border, six NATO nations on alert

Analysts report that the Iskander was spotted on the E28 highway, north of the settlement of Kudryavtsevo in the Kaliningrad region. This road connects Berlin with Minsk.

The Iskander tactical missile system is one of the key components of Russia’s missile forces. It is designed to strike important targets deep within enemy territory:

• Command posts;
• Warehouses;
• Airfields;
• Air defense systems;
• Other infrastructure facilities.

The system can launch both ballistic and cruise missiles, capable of evading missile defense due to maneuvering and the use of decoys. The Iskander is mounted on a mobile wheeled platform, allowing it to quickly change positions and making it harder to detect.

The range of the system depends on the type of missile: ballistic missiles have a range of up to 500 km, while cruise missiles, according to various estimates, can cover distances of over 1,500 km.

Analysts note that this means that from the Kaliningrad region, Iskanders can reach areas of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, parts of Germany, and southern Sweden.

Russia-Belarus military exercises

The active phase of the Russia-Belarus exercises Zapad-2025 will take place from September 12 to 16, 2025. It is expected that over 13,000 servicemen will participate in the maneuvers.

Earlier, Belarus stated that during the exercises with Russia, it intends to practice planning the use of nuclear weapons and the Oreshnik system.

RBC-Ukraine reported that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that on the night from Thursday to Friday, the country will close its border with Belarus due to the Zapad-2025 exercises.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Russian drone attack on Poland on September 10 could have been part of the Zapad-2025 exercises.