Putin says Russia will use 'all weapons' in its arsenal if any of its territory is attacked — SkimNews
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- Putin said at the Valdai Club forum on October 1, 2026 that if NATO attacked the Russian Federation — naming Kaliningrad explicitly — the question of Russia using "all weapons at our disposal" would "inevitably and immediately" appear on the agenda, framing the threat as a "response to an attempt to intimidate us."
- Russian embassies in Europe issued statements this week claiming NATO was preparing an "air and naval blockade of Kaliningrad," with the Russian Embassy in Ireland stating on September 29, 2026 that Russia was "ready to use all its arsenal, including nuclear weapons" to defend the region.
- NATO spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed the alliance received Russia's written message, denouncing "irresponsible nuclear rhetoric" and insisting NATO is "a defensive alliance and none of our activities or exercises pose a risk to any part of Russia."
- NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called the bloc's reply "short and concise," telling Russia to "stop the nuclear threat," warning that Moscow is trying "to divide us and lose the focus" on defending Ukraine, and urging calm and continued Kyiv support as the war enters its fifth year.
- Kaliningrad, sandwiched between NATO members Poland and Lithuania, hosts Russia's main Baltic navy base and nuclear-capable Iskander missiles — making it, per Western military officers cited in the article, "a likely first target should Russia ever attack any NATO ally."
- NATO has accelerated Baltic activity, launching Operation Baltic Sentry to protect undersea cables and pipelines, flying an EA-37B Compass Call electronic-warfare aircraft over northern Poland and the Baltic on August 18, and planning additional exercises in October.
Why it matters: Putin's explicit nuclear framing for Kaliningrad — the most militarized Russian exclave on NATO's border — comes as NATO accelerates Baltic exercises and European intelligence warns Russia could strike another country within years if it wins in Ukraine. The exchange crystallizes a flashpoint beyond the Ukraine front, where a defensive miscalculation over a hypothetical Baltic blockade scenario could trigger escalation both sides are now openly pricing in.
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