Russia sends nuclear warning to NATO as tensions rise in the Baltic

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”.

“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,” the diplomatic note said.

The warning highlighted ​Moscow’s urgent concern at what it has presented as a growing NATO threat to Kaliningrad, a heavily militarised Russian territory that ⁠is wedged between Poland and Lithuania and is slightly bigger than the US state of Connecticut.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance had responded to Russia’s message ​by declaring: “We are a defensive alliance. And stop the nuclear threats. This is absolutely not called for and not helpful.”

In its written response, seen by Reuters, NATO also said ​that none of its “exercises or activities poses a threat to the territory of the Russian Federation”.

“We call upon the Russian Federation to end its unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We urge the Russian Federation to refrain from increasingly reckless behaviour towards the Allies and to cease its irresponsible nuclear rhetoric,” it said.

Asked if the risk of nuclear weapons being used against the Baltics was now ​real, Rutte told a defence conference in Brussels hosted by broadcaster Euronews: “No, it’s not. Putin knows that he can never win (against) NATO, so I don’t take this that ​seriously.”