Putin says all weapons 'on agenda' if Russia's Kaliningrad attacked

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the West that he would employ all available weapons, including nuclear, if Kaliningrad were to be attacked. The Kremlin's leader made these remarks as tensions escalated over the Russian territory, which is heavily militarized and shares borders with Poland, Lithuania, and the Baltic Sea.

Putin stated that if Russia were to face a direct assault on its homeland, the option of deploying all types of weapons at its disposal would become an immediate consideration. This stance was highlighted during the annual Valdai forum.

NATO countries have recently conducted several military exercises near Kaliningrad's borders, which prompted Moscow to condemn the actions as "provocative statements and actions of the North Atlantic Alliance's leadership and NATO member states." In response, NATO denounced Russia's "threat of force, including any irresponsible nuclear rhetoric."

On Thursday, Putin once again condemned the "successive military exercises in the Baltic Sea" and "attempts to intercept Russian vessels," describing the situation as an escalation. He emphasized that Russia has no intention of launching an attack, neither in 2029, 2030, nor in 2050. However, Putin firmly stated that if Russia is faced with aggression, it will be compelled to respond. He urged citizens of European countries to understand this reality clearly.