Russia warns NATO it may use nuclear weapons if Kaliningrad is cut off
Moscow told the alliance it sees NATO policy as "dangerous and reckless" and warned of strikes on decision-making centres.
Russia has warned NATO that it is prepared to resort to nuclear weapons if the alliance attempts to sever the Kaliningrad exclave from the rest of the country, according to a diplomatic note sent to the alliance.
The message accuses NATO of following "a dangerous and reckless course that carries a high risk of sparking a direct armed conflict," and states that Moscow views any effort to isolate Kaliningrad as a direct threat to its territory.
The note also warns that the Russian response could include strikes on centers of decision-making inside NATO member states.
Explicit nuclear warning
"Russia will be prepared to use the full range of forces and capabilities at its disposal, including nuclear weapons, to defend its territory, if NATO countries make any attempt to isolate the Kaliningrad region from the rest of the country," the diplomatic note says.
The document frames the warning as a response to what Moscow characterized as NATO actions and rhetoric that, in its view, raise the risk of direct confrontation between Russia and the alliance.
The diplomatic note does not detail specific threats, timelines or targets. Analysts say such messages are intended to raise the costs of certain NATO policies and to signal Moscow's red lines, but the note itself provides no operational specifics.
Photo: Geti)
