(https://www.defensenews.com/#publisher)     (../../../../../../pf/resources/img/favicons/def/apple-touch-icon.png@d=143)  (../../../../../../pf/resources/img/favicons/def/favicon-32x32.png@d=143)  (../../../../../../pf/resources/img/favicons/def/apple-touch-icon.png@d=143)  (https://www.defensenews.com/pf/resources/img/favicons/def/safari-pinned-tab.svg?d=143)  (../../../../../../pf/resources/img/favicons/def/favicon.ico@d=143)   Polish minister proposes drills near Kaliningrad to draw Russian troops from Ukraine  (index.html)                       (https://d1voyiv1eh2vzr.cloudfront.net/)  (https://p.typekit.net/)  (https://use.typekit.net/)  (https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/)  (https://fonts.gstatic.com/)  (../../../../../../../fonts.googleapis.com/css2@family=IBM+Plex+Serif%253Aital,wght@0,300%3B0,400%3B0,500%3B0,600%3B0,700%3B1,300%3B1,400%3B1,700&display=optional.css)  (../../../../../../../use.typekit.net/azw8xnv.css)  (../../../../../../pf/dist/components/output-types/default.css@d=143&mxId=00000000.css)  (../../../../../../pf/dist/components/combinations/default.css@d=143&mxId=00000000.css)  (../../../../../../pf/dist/css/military-times.css@d=143&mxId=00000000.css)   Sections     Search     Sections Sections      (Defense News Logo) (https://www.defensenews.com/) (Defense News Logo)   (https://www.defensenews.com/air/) Air Warfare  (https://www.defensenews.com/land/) Land  (https://www.defensenews.com/naval/) Naval  (https://www.defensenews.com/space/) Space  (https://www.c4isrnet.com/cyber/?source=dfn-nav) CyberOpens in new window   (http://www.c4isrnet.com?source=dfn-nav) C4ISROpens in new window   (https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/) Pentagon  (https://www.defensenews.com/congress/) Congress  (https://www.defensenews.com/global/) Global  (https://www.defensenews.com/video/) Video  (https://www.defensenews.com/thought-leadership/) Thought Leadership   Search             Close            (https://www.defensenews.com/subscribe) Subscribe Now  (https://www.defensenews.com/air/) Air Warfare  (https://www.defensenews.com/land/) Land  (https://www.defensenews.com/naval/) Naval  (https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/) Pentagon  (https://www.defensenews.com/congress/) Congress Show Congress sub sections      (https://www.defensenews.com/congress/budget/) Budget     (https://www.c4isrnet.com/cyber/?source=dfn-nav) CyberOpens in new window   (http://www.c4isrnet.com?source=dfn-nav) C4ISROpens in new window   (https://www.defensenews.com/space/) Space  (https://www.defensenews.com/training-sim/) Training & Sim  (https://www.defensenews.com/unmanned/) Unmanned  (https://www.defensenews.com/global/) Global Show Global sub sections      (https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/) Asia Pacific  (https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/) Europe  (https://www.defensenews.com/global/mideast-africa/) Mideast Africa  (https://www.defensenews.com/global/the-americas/) The Americas     (https://www.defensenews.com/industry/) Industry Show Industry sub sections      (https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/) MilTech  (https://people.defensenews.com/top-100/) Top 100Opens in new window   (https://one.sightlinemg.com/defensenews/pitch-our-defense-desk/) Pitch DeskOpens in new window      (https://www.defensenews.com/interviews/) Interviews  (https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/) Opinion  (https://www.defensenews.com/video/) Video Show Video sub sections      (https://www.defensenews.com/video/dntv/) Defense News Weekly  (https://www.defensenews.com/video/money-minute/) Money Minute     (https://www.defensenews.com/outlook/) Outlook  (https://www.defensenews.com/press-release/) Press Releases  (https://www.defensenews.com/thought-leadership/) Thought Leadership Show Thought Leadership sub sections      (https://hub.sightlinemediagroup.com/market-intel/) Whitepapers & eBooksOpens in new window   (https://www.defensenews.com/special-coverage/) DSDs & SMRsOpens in new window   (https://www.defensenews.com/events/) WebcastsOpens in new window   (https://www.defensenews.com/events/) EventsOpens in new window      (https://link.defensenews.com/join/5ba/signup-newsletters?source=dfn-nav) NewslettersOpens in new window   (https://www.defensenews.com/events) Events Calendar  (https://www.defensenews.com/native/) Native  (https://www.defensenews.com/ebb/) Early Bird Brief  (https://defensenews-va.newsmemory.com/) Digital EditionOpens in new window          Featured: (https://one.sightlinemg.com/defensenews/pitch-our-defense-desk/) Send us your pitch  (https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/air-force-association/) AFA Air, Space & Cyber Coverage  (https://people.defensenews.com/top-100/) Top 100 Defense Companies                   (https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe) Europe    Polish minister proposes drills near Kaliningrad to draw Russian troops from Ukraine By (https://www.defensenews.com/author/jaroslaw-adamowski) Jaroslaw Adamowski     Sep 14, 2026, 04:06 PM                                ()    Polish K2 Black Panther tanks maneuver during the Operation Brave Boar 26 military exercise at the Orzysz Land Forces Training Center near the Suwalki Gap in Poland on June 17, 2026. (Damian Lemanski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)    WARSAW, Poland — NATO allies could hold drills in proximity of Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave in an attempt to push Moscow to weaken its military posture in Ukraine and withdraw some of its troops there, said Radosław Sikorski, Poland’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister. Speaking at a Sept. 11 panel discussion held during the Yalta European Strategy conference in Kyiv, Sikorski said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the Kremlin lowering its defenses in the Kaliningrad exclave, which borders Poland and Lithuania.     While NATO should not engage in any offensive actions against Kaliningrad, an intensification of the alliance’s drills around the area could force Russia to remove some of its forces from Ukraine, the official said. “We should not be thinking about our confrontation with Russia only as being confined to Ukraine,” Sikorski said. “I was in Latvia just three days ago on a Polish base, we have a tank company there, and … there are no troops on the other side. We closely monitor, as you may imagine, the Kaliningrad exclave. There are hardly any troops there.” “I’m suggesting we should exercise so aggressively on our side as to make … [Russian President Vladimir Putin] uncertain of what we will do, and so that he needs to draw forces away from Ukraine,” the deputy prime minister said.     A 2023 report by the U.S. Center for Naval Analyses indicates that, prior to the war in Ukraine, Kaliningrad’s military capabilities had been boosted with the deployment of various forces, including the 11th Army Corps whose composite ground forces alone had a nominal count of up to 18,000 troops. Last September, as Russia and Belarus were preparing the (https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/09/02/russias-zapad-drill-has-europe-on-edge-about-low-key-attacks/) “Zapad 2025” joint military drill , the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence estimated that only “several thousand” troops were to be stationed in Kaliningrad for the exercise. Sikorski’s statement comes as Poland is readying to host the first military drills for the so-called (https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/08/03/poland-readies-ukraine-coalition-of-willing-drills-eyes-nato-support-for-border-defense/) Coalition of the Willing with British and French forces. At the same time, under the country’s East Shield initiative worth around 10 billion zloty ($2.7 billion), the Polish military is advancing projects to ramp up defensive infrastructure, including fortifications and natural terrain obstacles along the roughly 800 km (497 miles) of the nation’s border with Kaliningrad and Belarus. About  (https://www.defensenews.com/author/jaroslaw-adamowski) Jaroslaw Adamowski   Jaroslaw Adamowski is the Poland correspondent for Defense News.  Share:                             (https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe) More In Europe  ()     (/industry/techwatch/2026/07/20/trust-between-operators-ccas-starts-with-simulations-former-air-force-secretary/) (https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/07/20/trust-between-operators-ccas-starts-with-simulations-former-air-force-secretary/) Trust between operators, CCAs starts with simulations: Former Air Force secretary  Simulations and exercises will be key to boosting trust between operators and CCAs, according to former U.S. Air Force secretary Frank Kendall.        ()     (/home/2026/06/02/celebrating-40-years-of-defense-news/) (https://www.defensenews.com/home/2026/06/02/celebrating-40-years-of-defense-news/) Celebrating 40 years of Defense News  Since 1986, Defense News has been the authoritative voice for the world's defense decision-makers.        ()     (/air-warfare/2025/11/03/guardsman-learns-to-fly-autonomous-black-hawk-in-less-than-an-hour/) (https://www.defensenews.com/air-warfare/2025/11/03/guardsman-learns-to-fly-autonomous-black-hawk-in-less-than-an-hour/) Guardsman learns to fly autonomous Black Hawk in less than an hour  In a training first, an Army National Guardsman used a tablet to control Sikorsky's optionally piloted Black Hawk and plan its task during an exercise.        ([object Object]) ()     (/recap/ausa/2025/10/16/recap-highlights-from-the-us-armys-2025-conference-in-washington/) (https://www.defensenews.com/recap/ausa/2025/10/16/recap-highlights-from-the-us-armys-2025-conference-in-washington/) Recap: Highlights from the US Army’s 2025 conference in Washington  The Army continues to transform, with efforts focused on next-gen weaponry, long-range artillery, unmanned systems and much more.        ()     (/unmanned/2025/09/11/pentagon-stages-first-top-drone-school-for-operators-to-hone-skills/) (https://www.defensenews.com/unmanned/2025/09/11/pentagon-stages-first-top-drone-school-for-operators-to-hone-skills/) Pentagon stages first ‘Top Drone’ school for operators to hone skills  Industry and military drone operators flew tethered and untethered first-person drones through a course designed to test endurance and maneuverability.              Featured Video    (/video/2026/09/14/does-the-us-need-a-culture-shift-to-create-a-workforce-for-the-defense-industrial-base/) (https://www.defensenews.com/video/2026/09/14/does-the-us-need-a-culture-shift-to-create-a-workforce-for-the-defense-industrial-base/) Does the US need a culture shift to create a workforce for the defense industrial base?        ()     (/video/2026/09/14/pcs-move-reset-your-finances-the-right-way-money-minute/) (https://www.defensenews.com/video/2026/09/14/pcs-move-reset-your-finances-the-right-way-money-minute/) PCS Move? Reset Your Finances the Right Way | Money Minute        ()     (/video/2026/09/14/the-army-gets-a-new-ammo-can-and-a-fleet-of-defensive-laser-systems-news-shorts/) (https://www.defensenews.com/video/2026/09/14/the-army-gets-a-new-ammo-can-and-a-fleet-of-defensive-laser-systems-news-shorts/) The Army gets a new ammo can and a fleet of defensive laser systems | News Shorts        ()     (/video/2026/09/14/nepal-army-deploys-drones-to-help-flood-victims-and-a-look-inside-natos-arms-production-headlines/) (https://www.defensenews.com/video/2026/09/14/nepal-army-deploys-drones-to-help-flood-victims-and-a-look-inside-natos-arms-production-headlines/) Nepal Army deploys drones to help flood victims and a look inside NATO’s arms production | Headlines                       Trending Now (/industry/techwatch/2026/09/11/pentagon-looks-to-ai-to-identify-space-and-missile-threats/) (https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/09/11/pentagon-looks-to-ai-to-identify-space-and-missile-threats/) Pentagon looks to AI to identify space and missile threats        (/news/pentagon-congress/2026/09/11/saudi-crown-prince-sought-us-military-help-with-houthis-sources-say/) (https://www.defensenews.com/news/pentagon-congress/2026/09/11/saudi-crown-prince-sought-us-military-help-with-houthis-sources-say/) Saudi crown prince sought US military help with Houthis, sources say        (/global/europe/2026/09/11/german-military-eyes-cruise-missiles-from-covenant-a-surprise-vendor-setting-up-shop/) (https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/09/11/german-military-eyes-cruise-missiles-from-covenant-a-surprise-vendor-setting-up-shop/) German military eyes cruise missiles from Covenant, a surprise vendor setting up shop        (/global/europe/2026/09/11/polish-prime-minister-poland-to-develop-its-own-starlink/) (https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/09/11/polish-prime-minister-poland-to-develop-its-own-starlink/) Polish prime minister: Poland to develop its own Starlink        (/global/europe/2026/09/10/nato-allies-foil-russian-subsea-cable-sabotage-plot/) (https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/09/10/nato-allies-foil-russian-subsea-cable-sabotage-plot/) NATO allies foil Russian subsea cable sabotage plot                         (https://www.facebook.com/DefenseNews)   Facebook page  (https://twitter.com/defense_news)   Twitter feed  (https://www.defensenews.com/m/rss/)   RSS feed    Defense News © 2026  Terms of Use (https://www.defensenews.com/m/privacy-policy/) Privacy Policy  (https://www.defensenews.com/m/terms-of-services/) Terms of Service    Get Us (https://www.defensenews.com/subscribe) Subscribe Now  (https://www.defensenews.com/newsletters/) NewslettersOpens in new window   (https://www.defensenews.com/events/) EventsOpens in new window   (https://www.defensenews.com/m/defense-news-rss-feeds/) RSS FeedsOpens in new window   (https://subscribe.sightlinemg.com/collections) Shop MerchOpens in new window     Contact Us (https://www.defensenews.com/m/advertising/) Advertise  (https://www.defensenews.com/m/contact-us/) General Contacts, Subscription Services  (https://www.defensenews.com/editorial-contacts/) Editorial Staff  (https://one.sightlinemg.com/defensenews/pitch-our-defense-desk/) Pitch DeskOpens in new window     About Us (https://www.defensenews.com/m/about-us/) About Us  (https://boards.greenhouse.io/sightlinemediagroup?gh_src=cpxe2a1) CareersOpens in new window      (Defense News Logo)         (gtm)