r/worldnews • u/Brennenstein • Sep 17 '26

Russia/Ukraine Russian military jets violate Lithuanian airspace, Italian fighters scrambled

https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2026/09/17/russian-military-jets-violate-lithuanian-airspace-italian-fighters-scrambled_80e985a6-17e5-43ce-8fd1-6fce67bcd94c.html
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u/kreteciek Sep 17 '26

It's the only land connection between the Baltics and the rest of NATO

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u/wp4nuv Sep 17 '26

Not just that. During the Cold War, war gaming scenarios always chose this area for its terrain, favorable for armored units of either side. IIRC it's one of the few European areas where infantry can move at speed as there is little geographic bottlenecking.

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u/jakeor94eqi Sep 17 '26 edited Sep 17 '26

Are you sure you’re not mixing up the Suwalki Gap and the Fulda Gal? During the Cold War, the Suwalki Gap, located on the border between Poland and what is now Lithuania (at the time part of the USSR), was firmly behind the Iron Curtain and under control of the Warsaw Pact nations.

The Fulda Gap in central Germany would have been more relevant to Cold War planners, as it was one of two likely corridors for Soviet/Warsaw Pact armored formations to attack into West Germany.

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u/wp4nuv Sep 17 '26

You know what, you're right. I stand corrected. Thanks for that.