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Russia has threatened to use nuclear weapons against NATO countries if the Western military alliance hinders access to its enclave of Kaliningrad in the Baltic Sea.
In a document sent this week to NATO, Moscow accuses the alliance of adopting a “dangerous and reckless path” towards Russia and its enclave, according to two officials familiar with the matter. Officials said it contained a warning about “the high risks of the outbreak of direct armed conflict.”
NATO responded by accusing Moscow of “irresponsible nuclear rhetoric” and said it posed no threat to Russia.
Moscow said NATO was preparing for possible military operations to blockade Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave bordering Poland and Lithuania, citing the defense alliance’s exercises in the region and the Baltic Sentry mission to protect underwater infrastructure.
“Russia will be ready to use the entire arsenal of forces and capabilities at its disposal, including nuclear weapons, to defend its territory if NATO countries undertake an attempt to isolate the Kaliningrad region from the rest of the country,” the document says.
Such measures could lead to “Russian strikes against decision-making centers in the alliance’s member states from the start of the conflict,” he warns.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that it was “quite natural for our diplomats to try to remind the hotheads of Europe about our founding documents on this issue,” according to Interfax.
The Russian statements were partly a response to recent coverage of Kaliningrad in British media, including a documentary on Sky News about a fictional war game exercise.
“I can confirm that Russia has sent a non-document to NATO and we have sent a response, noting that NATO is a defensive alliance and that none of our activities or exercises pose a risk to any part of Russia,” alliance spokeswoman Allison Hart said. “We strongly denounce the threat of use of force, including any irresponsible nuclear rhetoric. »
“Russia’s reliance on hybrid tactics is a sign of desperation. But we will not let that dissuade us from our support for Ukraine,” Hart added. “We have what it takes to defend every inch of allied territory and remain strong, ready and able to counter any threat. »
Kaliningrad has long been a source of tension between Russia and NATO, given its strategic location on the Baltic Sea and the potential for Russia to cut off the three Baltic states from the rest of its NATO allies if it annexed a land corridor between the enclave and its military ally Belarus.
Russia maintains a large naval fleet in the enclave and a wide range of missiles capable of striking the vast majority of NATO capitals, including nuclear-capable Iskander missiles.
The nuclear threats come as Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken warned of a coming “dark winter” due to Russia’s ongoing campaign of hybrid attacks against Europe.
“There will be more hybrid threat actions in the coming months. It will be a dark winter for Europe,” Francken said on Wednesday.
“Hybrid warfare is not something that Russia has started for two or three years,” he added. “They’ve been doing it for 50 years. It’s something that (President Vladimir) Putin is very good at.”
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