Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated that Moscow does not plan to attack European countries but would respond to aggression with “all weapons” in its arsenal, according to Associated Press reporting.
Speaking at the Valdai Club foreign policy forum, Putin accused Western and European governments of escalating tensions by discussing preparations for a possible war with Moscow, conducting military exercises in the Baltic Sea and seizing Russian vessels.
His comments followed a warning from Moscow that it would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons to defend Kaliningrad if Nato members attempted to cut the Russian exclave off from the rest of the country.
Several Russian embassies in Europe issued statements saying Moscow had information that Nato was preparing an air and naval blockade of Kaliningrad and the surrounding region. The embassies accused European leaders of “playing a dangerous game” by suggesting that Russia could attack another country or intensify destabilising activity involving drones and sabotage. Moscow has described those allegations as absurd.
“There should be no mistake — Russia would be ready to use all its arsenal, including nuclear weapons, to defend its territory if Nato countries try to isolate (the) Kaliningrad region from the rest of the country,” the Russian Embassy in Ireland said in a statement on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press report.
Asked at the forum whether Russia was approaching a war with Nato or whether the two sides were attempting to intimidate each other, Putin said the message from Moscow was not intimidation but a response to an attempt to intimidate Russia. He said the earlier warning had been written correctly.
“If it comes to a direct attack on the Russian Federation — in this case we mean Kaliningrad, or maybe some other territories — of course, inevitably and immediately the question of Russian Federation using all weapons at the disposal of our country will appear on the agenda,” Putin said.
Putin did not specify whether Russia would use nuclear weapons. He said, however, that Moscow possessed weapons that “no one else has” and would decide which weapons to use if the country were attacked.
Nato confirmed that Russia had sent the military alliance a written message. Spokeswoman Allison Hart said Nato “strongly denounce[d] the threat of force, including any irresponsible nuclear rhetoric”.
Hart said Nato was not targeting Kaliningrad and had replied that it was a defensive alliance and that none of its activities or exercises posed a risk to any part of Russia.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte described the alliance’s response as “short and concise”. Speaking to Euronews, he said Nato had told Russia that it was a defensive alliance and that nuclear threats were not called for or helpful.
Nato’s response also urged Moscow to end what the alliance called its “unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine”, which the Associated Press report said was in its fifth year.
Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave situated between Nato members Poland and Lithuania. It hosts Russia’s main Baltic naval base and other military assets, while nuclear-capable Iskander missiles are deployed there, according to the report.
Western military officers have said that key military installations in Kaliningrad would likely be among the first targets if Russia attacked a Nato ally. Nato countries have held military exercises in the Baltic Sea region in recent months, with more planned for October.
Nato launched Operation Baltic Sentry in the region last year to protect communication cables and pipelines. On Aug. 18, the alliance held an exercise over northern Poland and the Baltic region involving several aircraft, including an EA-37B Compass Call, which the US Air Forces in Europe described as an aircraft capable of jamming communications and radar.
Defence analysts believe the unannounced, large-scale exercise would not have been welcomed by the Kremlin, the report said.
European leaders and intelligence services have warned that Russia could be ready to attack another country within several years, particularly if it wins its war in Ukraine. Rutte said Russia was seeking to divide Nato members and shift attention away from support for Ukraine.
“We will not,” Rutte said, arguing that the best response was to provide Kyiv with more support. “Calm, carry on, keep the support for Ukraine going. That’s how we deal with it,” he said.
