‘Fatal point of no return’: Putin warns against use of nukes amid global tensions

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Western nations on Friday that Russia is prepared to employ all weapons to protect its Baltic exclave, Kaliningrad, if it perceives a direct attack. Addressing the Valdai international forum, Putin downplayed any intention to threaten others and attributed his stance to Western leaders' statements suggesting Russia was preparing for war in 2029 or 2030.

Russia has accused NATO of planning a blockade of Kaliningrad, a territory bordering Lithuania and Poland, threatening to use nuclear weapons if the West attempts to isolate the region. NATO has attempted to ease tensions, emphasizing its defensive nature and urging Russia to cease nuclear threats. Western allies have faced an uptick in hybrid warfare incidents attributed to Russia, especially in Poland and the Baltics.

Poland reported a Russian helicopter entering its Kaliningrad-adjacent territory, while Lithuania expressed growing threats from Russian drones. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated Germany's readiness for more significant hybrid attacks following a drone incident at Leipzig airport. Putin expressed confidence in ongoing international conflicts, attributing them to Western hegemony's decline, while maintaining the West's responsibility for provoking the 2022 Ukrainian invasion.

He claimed Russia's attacks on Ukrainian economic targets were a response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and ships in the Black Sea. Putin stated that Russia would use all available arms, including nuclear, if Kaliningrad faced a Western blockade, though he stressed this would not constitute a threat. The Russian leader also criticized NATO exercises in the Baltic Sea, urging the rules of warfare to evolve and warning about the dangers of AI-driven warfare.