Kremlin says warning to NATO about Kaliningrad is no escalation
The Kremlin stated on Thursday that Moscow's recent message to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which clarified readiness to resort to nuclear weapons if the alliance attempts to block access to the Kaliningrad exclave, should not be viewed as an escalation, adding that the primary goal is to ensure the security of the Russian exclave located on the Baltic Sea. In a diplomatic document sent to NATO and reviewed by Reuters, Moscow accused the alliance of following a dangerous and reckless approach involving significant risks of sparking a direct armed conflict. The Kremlin added that the Russian message to the alliance came amid the acceleration of military reinforcement in Europe, considering that rare calls for dialogue in Europe do not affect the generally hostile approach prevailing in European politics. The diplomatic document stated that Russia will be ready to use the full arsenal of available forces and capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to defend its territory if NATO member states make any attempt to isolate the Kaliningrad region from the rest of the country. The document mentioned that this includes the possibility of Russia launching strikes on decision-making centers in the alliance's member states once a conflict breaks out. The warning highlights Russia's deep concern over what it considers a growing threat by the alliance to Kaliningrad, a heavily fortified military region located between Poland and Lithuania that is slightly larger in area than the US state of Connecticut. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova cited, in a comment published on the ministry's website, statements by prominent figures from alliance countries, saying they show Russophobia and a readiness to wage war with Moscow. She added that if Europe attacks Russia, it will be a completely different kind of war, a very short one. Zakharova wrote that these figures need to return to reality, expressing hope that those to whom the warnings were directed will hear them.
