Russia has told NATO it is prepared to turn to nuclear weapons if the Western alliance tried to cut off Kaliningrad, the Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea, raising the stakes in an already fraught standoff with Europe.
In a document sent to NATO and seen by Reuters, Moscow accused the alliance of pursuing a “dangerous and reckless course” and warned it carried “high risks of the outbreak of a direct armed conflict”.
The document said such a path could include “of Russian strikes against decision-making centres in the alliance’s member states right from the outset of the conflict”.
“Russia will be ready to use the entire arsenal of forces and capabilities at its disposal, including nuclear weapons, in order to defend its territory should NATO countries undertake any attempt aimed at isolating the Kaliningrad Region from the rest of the country,” said the text, classed as a “non-paper” – diplomatic jargon for an informal document.
The estimated stocks of nuclear warheads by country in 2025, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research
Alongside the private message to NATO, Russian embassies in at least three European countries have issued statements over the past three days accusing the alliance of stoking tensions through military exercises and planning scenarios involving Kaliningrad.
Russia also pushed back on Western claims that it threatens Europe.
Those statements said Moscow had no plans to attack NATO countries, while warning that any aggression against Kaliningrad – a heavily militarised Russian territory wedged between Poland and Lithuania – would draw the strongest possible response.
The warnings underline a sharp escalation in strain between Russia and European countries, which accuse Moscow of intensifying a “hybrid war” across the continent through acts including sabotage and arson.
NATO denounced what it called ‘irresponsible nuclear rhetoric’ and called on Russia to end its ‘unprovoked war in Ukraine’
Russia denies that, and dismisses repeated assertions by Western politicians that it is preparing for a potential military attack on a NATO country.
NATO denounces ‘irresponsible nuclear rhetoric’
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed that Russia had delivered a non-paper to the alliance but declined to describe what it contained.
“We have sent a response, noting that NATO is a defensive Alliance and none of our activities or exercises pose a risk to any part of Russia. We strongly denounce the threat of force, including any irresponsible nuclear rhetoric. We call on Russia to end its unprovoked war in Ukraine,” she said.
Read more:
Four killed in Russian drone and missile attacks on Kyiv
Use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine should be ‘kept on the table’ – McEntee
A senior European defence official said: “(This is the) first time since (the) Cold War that Russia is threatening us like this. So this is serious.”
A NATO diplomat said: “I would say that the Russian letter is only another Russian attempt to intimidate Europeans, and that the response by NATO is firm and responsible. (It) reaffirms that we will not be dissuaded from supporting Ukraine.”
