Russia issues nuclear warning to NATO as tensions rise in the Baltic
Russia has issued a formal warning to NATO, threatening the use of nuclear weapons if the alliance attempts to isolate the Kaliningrad exclave. Moscow claims NATO's military exercises and planning constitute a reckless escalation, though it denies any intent to attack NATO territory.
Why it matters
This escalation significantly increases the risk of direct military confrontation between Russia and NATO, raising global concerns about nuclear brinkmanship in Europe.
Russia has warned NATO it would be ready to resort to nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempted to cut off Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave that borders the Baltic Sea.
In a document sent to NATO and seen by Reuters , Moscow accused the alliance of a “dangerous and reckless course” that entailed “high risks of the outbreak of a direct armed conflict”.
The document said this included the possibility “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.
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