Putin threatens to use 'all weapons' if West directly attacks Kaliningrad
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is ready to use all weapons at its disposal, including nuclear ones, if its Kaliningrad exclave or other Russian territory comes under direct attack; NATO called the rhetoric irresponsible.
Putin's warning
Speaking at the annual Valdai forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would use all weapons at its disposal if it considered itself directly attacked in its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad or elsewhere on its territory. He said that in such a case, the use of "all weapons at the disposal" of the country — including nuclear arms — would "inevitably and immediately" be on the agenda.
Putin insisted Russia "is not threatening anyone" and does not intend to attack anyone in 2029, 2030 or 2050, but added: "if we come across an aggression we will have to respond." He referenced statements by Western politicians about a possible war with Russia in 2029–2030, arguing these remarks are what provoke Moscow's response.
Dispute over Kaliningrad
According to Ukrainska Pravda, Russia's embassy in Belgium had earlier sent NATO a so-called non-paper warning about threats to Kaliningrad, which reportedly included threats to use nuclear weapons. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed receiving the document and responded that the alliance is defensive and that none of its exercises or activities pose a risk to any part of Russia. NATO said it "strongly denounces the threat of force, including any irresponsible nuclear rhetoric," and described Russia's hybrid tactics as "a sign of desperation." Lithuania, for its part, described Russia's renewed threats over Kaliningrad as psychological pressure.
As reported by the BBC, Western concerns also center on the so-called Suwalki Gap — a narrow land corridor between Kaliningrad and Belarus that Russia could theoretically use to try to reach Lithuanian territory.
Wider context
In his speech, Putin again claimed Russia was "forced" into war against Ukraine by Western aggression, despite having launched the full-scale invasion in February 2022. He acknowledged that Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries had cost Russia about 1% of its GDP.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said "Europe is not at peace today," pointing to a growing number of Russian hybrid attacks across the continent. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany was preparing for "major hybrid attacks, including serious ones," citing an explosive-laden drone found at Leipzig airport in August near Ukrainian cargo planes. Per Ukrainska Pravda, the European Union is preparing a new emergency security protocol and a strategy that would formally identify Russia as the bloc's main security threat.
