Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow could use “all weapons” in its arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave or other Russian territory comes under direct attack, while the United Nations has confirmed that at least 10 civilians, most of them children, were killed in airstrikes in Afghanistan.
Key Highlights
- Putin Kaliningrad warning comes amid heightened tensions with NATO.
- Putin said Russia could use all weapons in its arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if its territory is directly attacked.
- Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave located between NATO members Poland and Lithuania.
- NATO has described Moscow’s nuclear rhetoric as irresponsible and reiterated its defensive posture.
- UNAMA confirmed at least 10 civilians were killed and nine wounded in airstrikes in Afghanistan.
- Most of those killed in the Afghanistan strikes were reportedly children, according to the UN mission.
- Pakistan said its strikes targeted militant positions and claimed 22 militants were killed.
- Taliban authorities reported a lower civilian death toll and accused Pakistan of attacking civilian homes.
- UNAMA called for de-escalation, dialogue and measures to prevent further civilian harm.
Putin Issues Kaliningrad Warning
Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said Russia would consider using all weapons available to it if there were a direct attack on Russian territory.
He specifically referred to Kaliningrad, Russia’s strategically important Baltic exclave situated between Poland and Lithuania.
“If it comes to a direct attack on the Russian Federation,” Putin said, the issue of deploying all weapons available to Russia would “inevitably and immediately” come onto the agenda.
Putin said Moscow would regard an attack on Kaliningrad as an attack on Russia itself. His comments included a reference to Russia’s nuclear arsenal.
Russia Says It Is Responding to Western Warnings
Putin presented his remarks as a response to what Moscow considers growing military pressure from NATO rather than as a declaration of plans to attack Europe.
He said Russia had no intention of attacking European countries and rejected suggestions that Moscow was preparing to launch a war against a NATO member.
The comments came after Russia issued a diplomatic warning concerning possible attempts to isolate or cut off Kaliningrad from the rest of Russia. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the alliance considers itself defensive and criticized Moscow’s nuclear rhetoric.
Putin also argued that Russia would have to rely on what he described as its military advantages if it faced a confrontation with NATO.
NATO Tensions Over Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad is separated geographically from mainland Russia and lies between Poland and Lithuania, both members of NATO.
The region has long held strategic military importance for Moscow, while NATO maintains a significant military presence in the wider Baltic region.
Putin’s latest Kaliningrad warning comes amid broader tensions between Russia and NATO over the war in Ukraine and military activity around the Baltic Sea.
NATO has rejected suggestions that its activities amount to a plan to isolate or attack Kaliningrad.
UN Confirms 10 Civilians Killed in Afghanistan Airstrikes
Separately, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said at least 10 civilians were killed and nine wounded in overnight airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand provinces.
The UN said most of those killed were children.
UNAMA did not directly attribute the strikes to Pakistan in its initial casualty statement. However, the attacks were reported by Afghan authorities as Pakistani airstrikes, while Pakistan acknowledged carrying out the military operation.
The UN mission said civilians continued to bear the consequences of cross-border hostilities and called for de-escalation, dialogue, respect for international law and measures to prevent further civilian casualties.
Pakistan Says Militants Were the Targets
Pakistan gave a different account of the operation.
Islamabad said its military action was based on intelligence and targeted militant hideouts in Afghanistan. Pakistani authorities said the strikes killed 22 militants and destroyed weapons and ammunition.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused armed groups operating from Afghanistan of carrying out attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban authorities in Kabul have rejected accusations that Afghanistan is being used to launch attacks against Pakistan.
Taliban Condemns Pakistani Airstrikes
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said earlier that nine civilians, including women and children, had been killed and 11 others wounded.
He accused Pakistan of attacking civilian areas and described the strikes as aggression.
The UN’s subsequent assessment placed the civilian death toll at at least 10, with nine others wounded.
The conflicting accounts highlight the wider dispute between Islamabad and Kabul over cross-border militancy and military operations.
Two Separate Conflicts Raise International Concerns
The Putin Kaliningrad warning and the Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan are unrelated events, but both have drawn international attention to the risks associated with military escalation.
In Russia, Putin’s comments have renewed focus on the possibility of nuclear escalation if Moscow believes its territory is under direct threat.
In Afghanistan, the UN-confirmed civilian deaths have intensified calls for restraint as tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban authorities continue.
For now, the situations remain separate, with diplomatic efforts and international calls for de-escalation continuing alongside military tensions. For more updates, follow us on X.
