Kaliningrad

Pity the poor people of the Kaliningrad oblast, a piece of the Russian Federation stranded on the Baltic Sea and now completely surrounded by the European Union, as represented by Poland and Lithuania. Once known as Königsberg, its chief city, also called Kaliningrad, was the capital of East Prussia prior to 1945 and best known as the birthplace and lifelong home of Immanuel Kant. From The Globe and Mail: "'Paper Curtain' descends on Kaliningrad." Here is the predicament of the city's residents:

As of today [1 May], if Kaliningraders want to travel to Poland or Lithuania they have to get a visa, which they didn't need before.

Even if residents only want to travel to other parts of Russia, and can't afford to fly, they have to apply 28 hours in advance to the Lithuanian embassy for permission to board a specially sealed train that crosses Lithuanian territory on the way to Moscow.

What's the answer? Lawyer Sergei Pasko would have Kaliningrad effectively joining the EU, while remaining nominally part of Russia. Whatever happens, it seems evident that the status quo cannot continue.