Poland has revealed plans to construct an artificial island in the Kaliningradskiy Zaliv (also known as the Vistula Lagoon), not far from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, Polish newspaper Wyborcza reported. The island will be made from earth dug up during the construction of a channel going through the Kaliningradskaya Kosa (also known as the Vistula Spit) to the Baltic Sea. The construction of both could reportedly cost some $236 million.
The tender outlines that the 2-3 metre high island would have an elliptical shape with its main axis being 1,932 metres long and its total area reaching 181 hectares. The newspaper noted that the island would be "visible from space".
It's unclear what purpose the island will serve, but it will be off-limits to ordinary citizens and ships.
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Poland is planning the construction of an artificial strait through the Kaliningradskaya Kosa as an alternative maritime route for ships going for Elblag. Currently, all ships, sailing to the Kaliningradskiy Zaliv have to cross Strait of Baltiysk, which is located within Russia's maritime borders. Both Russia and the EU have expressed concern that the artificial strait may negatively affect ecological situation in the region.