Putin warns Russia could use 'all weapons' if Kaliningrad is attacked

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Thursday that Russia could use "all weapons" in its arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad is attacked, escalating rhetoric amid the Ukraine war. Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow, Putin said Russia had no plans to attack European countries but would respond to what he called Western aggression, citing Baltic Sea drills and attempts to arrest Russian ships. He also acknowledged Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have cost about 1% of GDP. Kaliningrad, a heavily militarized Russian territory between NATO members Poland and Lithuania, is strategically important but vulnerable due to its separation from mainland Russia, with tensions rising since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.