Russia Warns NATO of Armed Conflict Risk Over Kaliningrad Blockade

The Russian Embassy in Belgium warned NATO on September 28 that any attempt to blockade the Kaliningrad region would sharply increase the risk of a direct military conflict, and said Russia was prepared to deploy weapons to defend its territory.¹²

Warning to Brussels

According to the Russian Embassy in Belgium, Russia's diplomats conveyed their position directly to NATO's International Secretariat and to the Belgian Foreign Ministry, describing NATO's approach to Kaliningrad as reckless and irresponsible.³⁴

The embassy said, "We warned that this reckless and irresponsible approach sharply increases the risks of a direct military confrontation with our country," according to TASS.³

Russian diplomats added that Moscow was prepared to use force to protect the region, stating: "We emphasized that Russia possesses the necessary means to repel potential aggression and stands ready to deploy its entire available arsenal of weapons if NATO countries try to isolate the Kaliningrad Region from the rest of our country," according to TASS. This claim about Russia's readiness to use its full arsenal has not been independently corroborated.³

Call for restraint, and a denial of wider intent

The embassy called on NATO member states to hold back from further escalatory rhetoric and actions, saying, "We called upon the bloc's member states to refrain from further escalatory rhetoric and actions in order to prevent a large-scale confrontation," according to TASS.³

Separately, according to reporting aggregated by Ground News, Russian diplomats said NATO's actions had increased the likelihood of direct armed conflict, while also stating that Moscow had no plans to attack Baltic countries. This assertion has not been confirmed by other sources.⁴

Slovak outlets STVR and Hospodárske noviny reported that the embassy accused NATO of an irresponsible approach that raises the danger of direct armed conflict, and cited the embassy as saying, "Moscow is prepared to defend itself with weapons," and separately, "Russia is prepared to deploy weapons to defend its territory in case of any NATO blockade attempts."¹²

TASS also reported an unattributed allegation from Russian diplomats that NATO leadership and member countries pursue an aggressive policy toward Russia. This claim is single-sourced and unconfirmed elsewhere.³