Russia threatens to use nuclear weapons against NATO countries in the midst of escalating tension in the Baltic region
Moscow has warned the Alliance in a diplomatic note that it should not try to isolate Kaliningrad. The Alliance accuses Moscow of using “irresponsible nuclear rhetoric”
Kaliningrado, a Russian enclave bristling with military might and sandwiched between NATO members Poland and Lithuania, as well as the European Union, has become a focal point for the nuclear threat posed by Vladimir Putin to Europeans. This week, Moscow accused the military organization of seeking to block access to Kaliningrado and has threatened to deploy nuclear weapons if NATO, of which Spain is a member, advances in this supposed purpose.
For the Kremlin, the exclave provides a strategic exit to the Baltic Sea—its sole year-round port—and a critical hub in its hybrid war against Europe. Its importance has only grown since the start of Russia's large-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022. For NATO, Kaliningrado represents a piece that could complicate any crisis in the Baltic region, potentially hindering the movement of allied forces.
Written by urgent.news from El Pais's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
