BRUSSELS (AP) — Russia has warned NATO that it would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons to defend Kaliningrad should any members of the military bloc try to cut off its western exclave from the rest of the country.
The warning sent to NATO echoed statements issued by several Russian embassies in Europe this week which said that Moscow has “information that NATO is preparing (an) air and naval blockade of Kaliningrad and Kaliningrad region.”
The embassies in the U.K. and Ireland posted their statements on their Telegram channels, and the embassy in Belgium released it to the Tass news agency.
The statements accused European leaders of “playing a dangerous game” by warning that Russia might attack another country or ramp up a campaign of destabilizing attacks in Europe using drones and sabotage. Moscow has called the allegations absurd.
“There should be no mistake — Russia would be ready to use all its arsenal, including nuclear weapons, to defend its territory if NATO countries try to isolate Kaliningrad region from the rest of the country,” the Russian Embassy in Ireland said in its statement on Tuesday.