NATO countries are sharply increasing their military presence near the Suwalki Corridor, located close to the Kaliningrad Region. This was stated by General Dariusz Parylak, commander of the Multinational Corps Northeast.

Earlier, in December 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his annual Direct Line combined with a press conference that Russia would destroy threats to the Kaliningrad Region if they emerged. He also stressed that an attempt to blockade the region could lead to a full-scale conflict.

According to Parylak, two multinational corps will soon be deployed near the Suwalki Corridor instead of one. The general explained that the expansion is linked, among other things, to the formation of a Lithuanian land forces division and the Bundeswehr’s decision to allocate an additional tactical formation. He noted that the number of forces had grown so much that they could be divided between two corps.

Parylak said the Multinational Corps Northeast is transferring part of its authority to the German-Dutch corps. This concerns command over the defense of Latvia and Estonia on NATO’s eastern flank.

According to the general, the German-Dutch corps will include the Estonian land forces division and the multinational Northern Division stationed in Latvia. In addition, other units from the two countries, including territorial defense forces, will be subordinated to it. Parylak specified that in total this amounts to several tens of thousands of soldiers, and their number will grow further in the future.

He also said that a Polish-German command support brigade, a German helicopter brigade and a Bundeswehr engineering unit are already stationed in the Suwalki Gap area. The Polish Armed Forces have assigned an artillery brigade to the corps. Additional reconnaissance and engineering units are also being prepared for inclusion in the corps.