Why Putin may risk it all to keep Kaliningrad; India link to Russia exclave

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow could use “all weapons” in its arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad comes under direct attack. The warning has brought renewed attention to a narrow stretch of land between Poland and Lithuania, known as the Suwałki Gap, which lies between Kaliningrad and Russia’s ally Belarus and is considered a potential flashpoint in a conflict between Russia and Nato.Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said Russia had no plans to attack any European country but would respond if the West escalated tensions or threatened Russian territory. He referred to Nato military activity in the Baltic region, attempts to intercept Russian ships and statements about Kaliningrad.“The drills in the Baltic Sea, following one another … Then the attempts to arrest our ships and vessels. All this is an escalation.