Matochkin pursued largely pro-Western policies and tried to boost ties to Kalinigrad's neighboring countries in the Baltic.

[1] The state of emergency was illegal under Russian law, but allowed Gorbenko to consolidate his hold on power.

[1] Gorbenko, unlike his predecessor, pursued an isolationist policy toward Kalinigrad's neighbors and the rest of Russia.

[1] City and local officials in Kaliningrad Oblast were largely dissatisfied with Gorbenko's isolationalist policies.

Many municipalities created their own development plans to attract Russian and foreign investors and business.