Putin Warns of 'Every Weapon' If Kaliningrad Faces Direct Attack

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow would utilize "all arms at the disposal of our country" if it perceives a direct attack on the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad or other Russian territories. Speaking at the Valdai foreign policy forum, Putin insisted that Russia was not initiating threats but responding to Western leaders' statements about potential Russian military actions in 2029 or 2030.

Russia has recently accused NATO of preparing to blockade Kaliningrad, a territory bordered by Lithuania and Poland. Moscow has stated it would be prepared to use nuclear weapons if the West attempts to sever Kaliningrad from the rest of Russia.

NATO has responded by emphasizing its defensive nature and urging Russia to cease its "nuclear threats." In recent months, Western allies have reported an increase in hybrid warfare incidents attributed to Russia, particularly in Poland and the Baltic states. Last week, Poland reported a Russian helicopter crossing into its territory near Kaliningrad, and Lithuania stated its population feels "constantly threatened" by Russia, partly due to drones entering its airspace.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated that Germany is preparing for further hybrid attacks, including potentially serious ones, following the discovery of an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig airport in August, located near Ukrainian cargo planes.

During his address, Putin also reiterated his claim that the West provoked the full-scale war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022. He asserted that Russia was forced to defend itself. Putin also stated that Russian strikes on Ukrainian economic targets were a direct response to Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries and Black Sea vessels. He acknowledged that Ukraine's refinery attacks had yielded results, causing Russia to lose approximately 1% of its GDP, while Ukraine maintains these strikes are necessary to hinder the Kremlin's war financing.

Putin accused NATO of conducting naval maneuvers in the Baltic Sea that he viewed as serious threats to Kaliningrad. He argued that if the territory were blockaded, Russia would use all available means, including nuclear weapons. "We are not threatening anyone. We do not intend to attack anyone in 2029, in 2030, in 2050. But if we come across an aggression we will have to respond. Citizens of European countries should be fully aware of that," he stated.

He also commented on the nuclear capabilities of countries like the UK and France, suggesting Russia's arsenal was unparalleled and drawing an analogy of a gun on a theater stage inevitably firing. Putin suggested a need to rewrite the rules of warfare and expressed concern about the increasing risks associated with artificial intelligence in conflict, stating that the automation and digitalization of warfare lead to its gamification and a regression towards barbarity.