Putin threatens full arsenal if Kaliningrad is attacked
Russia's president said in Moscow that using all of its weapons would be on the table "immediately"; NATO replied that it is a defensive alliance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday, October 1, that Russia would use all of its weapons if anyone attacks the country directly, and he named Kaliningrad as an example. He spoke at the Valdai Club, a discussion forum held in Moscow, according to ABC News Australia.
In that case, Putin said, the use of all the country's means would be on the agenda "inevitably and immediately." He added that no one else has the weapons Russia has and that this is its "competitive advantage."
Kaliningrad is the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania, on the Baltic Sea. It hosts Russia's main naval base in the region and nuclear-capable Iskander missiles, according to NBC News.
The remarks come after NATO exercises in the Baltic Sea, which the alliance calls defensive, and after another warning from Moscow in late September: it would respond if NATO tried to blockade the enclave by air or sea. Russian diplomatic missions also delivered a note to the alliance over an alleged blockade plan; its content has not been confirmed. A week earlier, Poland reported that a Russian helicopter crossed its airspace along that border.
Putin said Russia does not plan to attack any European country and wants to live in peace. He also acknowledged that Ukrainian attacks on oil infrastructure have cost Russia about 1% of its GDP, according to CNN. The figure comes from him and has not been independently verified.
NATO rejected the tone. Secretary General Mark Rutte insisted that it is a defensive alliance and that nuclear threats serve no purpose. Spokesperson Allison Hart said the alliance's activities pose no risk to Russia.
