Moscow addresses NATO over exercises near Kaliningrad: We will defend our territory with our entire arsenal

Russia has lodged an official protest with NATO, describing the Alliance’s approach as “adventurous and irresponsible” and warning that it could increase the risk of a direct military confrontation.

The letter was sent through the Russian Embassy in Belgium and concerns exercises that, according to Moscow, are intended to simulate the “isolation” of the Kaliningrad exclave.

The embassy’s statement says that these developments “significantly increase the risks of a direct armed confrontation.” Russia also warns that it is ready to use “the entire arsenal of weapons at its disposal” to defend its territory.

“Russia is ready to use the entire arsenal of weapons at its disposal to defend its territory,” the document says.

According to the Italian news agency Ansa, the Russian Embassy accuses NATO of conducting a “large-scale information campaign” which, it says, aims to reinforce the myth of the “Russian threat” and spread inaccurate information about claims that Moscow could attack one of the Baltic states by 2029 or even earlier.

“Plans are being announced for the cross-border evacuation of the population ‘in the event of a serious crisis,’ while repeated statements by our country’s leaders concerning the lack of intention or reason to initiate military action are being completely ignored,” the statement says.

The Russian Embassy also claims that Moscow’s proposal to NATO member states to set out mutual security guarantees in writing has been disregarded.

“In the context of the aggressive stance pursued by the bloc’s leadership and its member states, the Embassy has communicated our fundamental positions to NATO’s International Secretariat and the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the document continues.

Moscow has called on the Alliance’s countries not to make statements or take further steps that, in its view, would escalate the situation.

“We have asked the Alliance’s member states to refrain from further statements and actions that could escalate the situation, in order to avoid a full-scale confrontation,” the statement says.

NATO, for its part, has confirmed that it received Moscow’s letter and responded to it. The Alliance has condemned Russia’s threats to use force and reiterated that NATO is defensive in nature.