The Russian president said any attack or blockade on the Baltic exclave would trigger an immediate response with all available arms.
Vladimir Putin warned that Russia will use every weapon in its arsenal if its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad comes under direct attack, speaking at the Valdai foreign policy forum.
Moscow accused NATO throughout the week of preparing a blockade against Kaliningrad, which borders Poland and Lithuania. Putin argued that Western naval maneuvers in the Baltic Sea threaten the territory and said any attempt to cut it off would bring an immediate military response, including nuclear weapons. “If it comes to a direct attack on the Russian Federation, in this case we are talking about Kaliningrad but possibly some other territories, of course the issue of use by the Russian Federation of all arms at the disposal of our country will inevitably and immediately be on the agenda,” Putin said.
Putin insisted Russia wasn’t threatening anyone or preparing to attack in 2029, 2030, or 2050, saying he was merely responding to Western officials who suggested a future war was coming. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte rejected the accusations on Wednesday, stating that the alliance’s drills don’t threaten Moscow and calling the Kremlin’s rhetoric “absolutely not called for and not helpful.” NATO urged Moscow to halt its nuclear threats.
Baltic incidents and hybrid threats
The exchange follows reports from several European governments of increasing hybrid activity linked to Russia. Poland said last week that a Russian helicopter entered its airspace near Kaliningrad. Lithuania reported that its citizens feel constantly threatened, pointing to drones flying into the country.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Thursday that his country is preparing for additional hybrid operations, “including serious ones.” His warning followed an August incident in which an explosive-laden drone was found on the tarmac at Leipzig airport near Ukrainian cargo aircraft.
Strikes on energy networks and future warfare
Addressing the fighting in Ukraine, Putin blamed the West for provoking Russia’s 2022 invasion. He claimed strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure were retaliation for Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian oil refineries and Black Sea ships, admitting those refinery attacks cost Russia about 1% of its gross domestic product. Russian forces have attacked Ukrainian energy networks each winter, and drones hit a key bridge in Kyiv on Thursday.
Putin also addressed the threat of global weapons arsenals, saying weapons held by major powers could destroy life on Earth. He compared the situation to a theater gun that will inevitably fire by the final scene if it is hanging on the stage at the start. He added a warning about artificial intelligence and automation in modern combat, saying that “the automation and digitalisation of warfare leads to its gamification. This leads to degradation and sliding back of humanity to barbarity.”
