Overview
- Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Valdai forum that Russia would deploy “all weapons at our disposal,” including nuclear options, if Kaliningrad or other Russian territory were directly attacked or isolated.
- The remarks followed a diplomatic note Moscow sent to NATO warning it would be ready to use nuclear weapons if the alliance tried to cut off the Kaliningrad exclave.
- NATO officials rejected the threats as unhelpful and stressed the alliance is defensive, with spokespeople saying the alliance has formally replied to Moscow and denounced the nuclear rhetoric.
- Several Russian embassies claimed NATO was preparing an air and naval blockade of Kaliningrad, a report that Western officials call unfounded and that has increased alarm in Baltic states.
- Kaliningrad sits between Poland and Lithuania and hosts naval and missile forces including systems described as nuclear‑capable; Western strikes on Russian energy sites and Russia’s reciprocal long‑range attacks have already pushed European governments to prepare evacuations, contingency plans, and heightened security measures.