Russia has warned NATO that it is ready to use nuclear weapons if alliance countries attempt to isolate the Kaliningrad region from the rest of Russian territory. This is stated in a diplomatic note reviewed by Reuters. NATO called on Moscow to stop nuclear threats. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

In the document, Moscow accused the alliance of a "dangerous and reckless course" that creates a "high risk of a direct armed conflict." The Russian side also did not rule out strikes on decision-making centers in NATO countries from the very beginning of a possible clash.

"Russia will be ready to use its entire available arsenal of forces and capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to protect its territory if NATO countries take any attempts aimed at isolating the Kaliningrad region from the rest of the country," the diplomatic note says.

The Kaliningrad region is a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea coast, located between Poland and Lithuania.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow expects to convey its warnings to the addressees. Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov called such appeals diplomatic reminders to "hotheads in Europe."

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance is defensive in nature and called on Russia to abandon nuclear threats.

"We are a defensive alliance. And stop the nuclear threats. It is absolutely unnecessary and will not bring any benefit," Rutte said.

In a written response to the Russian note, NATO emphasized that its exercises and other activities do not threaten Russian territory.

"We call on the Russian Federation to stop its unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We strongly urge the Russian Federation to refrain from increasingly reckless behavior toward allies and to stop its irresponsible nuclear rhetoric," the alliance's response says.

Asked about the reality of the nuclear threat to the Baltic states, Rutte answered in the negative.

"No, it is not. Putin knows that he can never defeat NATO, so I do not take this seriously," he said at a defense conference in Brussels.