Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow would consider using all weapons in its arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if Russian territory were subjected to a direct attack.
Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow on October 1, Putin said Russia did not intend to attack European countries but would respond if it faced what he described as aggression against the Russian Federation.
Putin specifically referred to Kaliningrad, Russia’s heavily militarized Baltic exclave located between NATO members Poland and Lithuania. He said that if the territory or other parts of Russia came under direct attack, the issue of using the country’s full range of available weapons would immediately arise.
The warning came after Moscow sent a diplomatic message to NATO expressing concern over what Russian officials described as preparations to isolate or blockade Kaliningrad. Russian embassies in Europe have also issued statements warning against any attempt to cut the territory off from the rest of Russia.
NATO has rejected the suggestion that it is preparing to blockade Kaliningrad. The alliance said it is defensive in nature and that its military activities and exercises do not threaten Russian territory. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also criticized Russia’s nuclear rhetoric and urged Moscow to avoid such threats.
Putin said Russia recognizes that NATO has a larger conventional military capacity but argued that Moscow possesses weapons capabilities that give it what he described as strategic advantages.
He also warned that continued escalation between major powers could reach a point where events become difficult to control. Putin said the world’s major military powers possess weapons capable of causing catastrophic destruction and argued that governments should take steps to prevent such weapons from being used.
The latest warning adds to a series of increasingly direct nuclear-related statements from Moscow as tensions between Russia and NATO remain high because of the war in Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly said it does not intend to launch an attack against NATO countries, while Western governments have accused Moscow of escalating military and hybrid activities across Europe. Moscow has rejected those accusations and has instead argued that NATO’s military support for Ukraine and increased activity near Russia’s borders pose security risks.
Putin’s remarks also came as the war in Ukraine continues to affect Russia’s domestic infrastructure. He said Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries had reduced Russia’s gross domestic product by about 1%, while indicating that Moscow was responding to Ukrainian attacks.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, Putin said Russia wants peaceful coexistence with European countries and reiterated that Moscow is not planning to attack them. His warning was framed around a potential direct attack on Russian territory rather than an announcement of plans for a new offensive against NATO.
The dispute over Kaliningrad has become another point of tension between Moscow and the Western alliance, with both sides publicly emphasizing their military positions while warning against further escalation. The latest statements underscore the continuing risks surrounding the confrontation as the Ukraine war enters another year.
