Vladimir Putin warned Western countries that Russia is ready to use all available weapons, including nuclear arms, to defend the Kaliningrad territory from siege or attack, emphasizing there are no plans to attack any other country.
Foreign news agencies reported on 1 Oct 2026 that Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, declared Russia is prepared to use all types of weapons, including nuclear weapons, if the separatist region of Kaliningrad, bordering Poland and Lithuania, is besieged or directly attacked by Western countries or NATO.
In a speech at the Valdai Forum, Putin affirmed that these statements are not threats and that Russia has no plans to invade anyone in 2029, 2030, or even 2050, but rather are responses to Western accusations and NATO naval exercises in the Baltic Sea, which Russia views as a threat.
Meanwhile, relations between Europe and Russia have become increasingly tense following provocations such as a Russian helicopter violating Polish airspace, drones intruding into Lithuanian airspace, and the discovery of explosive drones near a military transport aircraft in Germany, leading German leaders to warn of escalating hybrid attacks.
Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries have affected the economy, causing damage estimated at about 1% of GDP, but insisted that Russia's recent strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure are merely "retaliation."
Beyond the war, Putin also warned of the dangers of using automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare, which could turn war into a game and potentially lead humanity backward into a more barbaric era.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte affirmed that NATO's military exercises are not intended to threaten Russia and called on Moscow to stop nuclear intimidation, while Lithuania has prepared evacuation plans due to concerns about an invasion through the "Suwalki Gap," a strategically important border area approximately 65–100 kilometers long between Poland and Lithuania.
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Source:bbc