By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-10-01 06:01:02 | Updated at 2026-10-01 08:49:17
2 hours ago
Russia has warned Nato it would be ready to press the nuclear button "right from the outset" if the alliance moved to cut off the exclave of Kaliningrad.
In a diplomatic note sent to Nato, the Kremlin accused the alliance of pursuing a "dangerous and reckless course".
Moscow warned the alliance's actions carry "high risks of the outbreak of a direct armed conflict", and threatened to launch "strikes against decision-making centres in the alliance's member states right from the outset".
The document added: "Russia will be ready to use the entire arsenal of forces and capabilities at its disposal, including nuclear weapons, in order to defend its territory should Nato countries undertake any attempt aimed at isolating the Kaliningrad Region from the rest of the country."
The Kremlin has grown increasingly concerned of what it claims are risks to its exclave in Europe, which is nestled between Poland and Lithuania.
Warsaw and Vilnius have recently begun developing evacuation blueprints for the Suwalki Gap, a slender 60-mile land bridge running along the Polish-Lithuanian frontier.
It sits between Russian-allied Belarus and heavily-armed Kaliningrad, making it a critical Western defensive priority.
Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed the alliance had responded to the diplomatic note.
The Kremlin has grown increasingly concerned of what it claims are risks to its exclave in Europe
The Kremlin warned the alliance's actions carry 'high risks of the outbreak of a direct armed conflict'
He said: "We are a defensive alliance. And stop the nuclear threats. This is absolutely not called for and not helpful."
The alliance was issued a written response to the Kremlin - seen by Reuters - which has insisted its activities in the areas surrounding Kaliningrad do not "pose a threat" to the enclave.
It added: "We call upon the Russian Federation to end its unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"We urge the Russian Federation to refrain from increasingly reckless behaviour towards the Allies and to cease its irresponsible nuclear rhetoric."
'Stop the nuclear threats. This is absolutely not called for and not helpful,' Mark Rutte blasted
At a defence conference in Brussels, Mr Rutte played down the risk of the Russian President using nuclear weapons against an allied nation.
The Nato chief said: "Putin knows that he can never win (against) Nato, so I don't take this that seriously."
An alliance diplomat told the Mail the warning was "only another Russian attempt to intimidate Europeans".
They added: "The response by Nato is firm and responsible. It reaffirms that we will not be dissuaded from supporting Ukraine."
Kremlin spin doctor Dmitry Peskov said the warnings were issued to the 'hotheads in Europe'
But one senior European defence source described the warning to the newspaper as "serious", adding: "This is the first time since (the) Cold War that Russia is threatening us like this."
In addition to the caution, Russian embassies in at least three European countries have accused the alliance of enflaming tensions with military drills around Kaliningrad.
Kremlin spin doctor Dmitry Peskov said the warnings were issued to the "hotheads in Europe".
Tensions have escalated between Nato and Russia following a number of incidents in recent weeks, with European leaders warning that Moscow was stepping up its "hybrid war" against the West.
