Russia has threatened to “deploy its entire arsenal” if NATO poses a threat to Kaliningrad, prompting a forceful response from the military alliance as Moscow intensifies its attacks across Ukraine.
NATO condemned what it described as “irresponsible nuclear rhetoric” after Moscow sent the alliance a formal warning concerning its Baltic exclave, which is separated from mainland Russia by NATO territory.
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed that Russia had sent a “non-paper” to the alliance and said NATO had responded by making clear that its military posture was defensive.
“I can confirm that Russia sent a non-paper to NATO and that we have sent a response, noting that NATO is a defensive Alliance and none of our activities or exercises pose a risk to any part of Russia,” Hart said.
She added: “We strongly denounce the threat of force, including any irresponsible nuclear rhetoric. We call on Russia to end its unprovoked war in Ukraine.”
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The exchange comes as Russian forces intensify their attacks on Kyiv, with Ukraine facing a new wave of daytime strikes involving jet-powered drones that Ukrainian air defences have reportedly struggled to intercept.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched ballistic missiles and dozens of drones towards the capital, adding further pressure on air-defence systems already stretched by sustained Russian bombardment.
The new drones are reportedly capable of operating at speeds and altitudes that make them difficult for some ground-based Ukrainian air-defence systems to intercept. Their deployment adds another layer of complexity to Russia’s campaign against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
Moscow has also claimed strikes against military-linked targets, saying it hit two datacentres in Kyiv, a cargo vessel in the Black Sea and another ship carrying military supplies at the Ukrainian port of Odesa.
Russia’s defence ministry separately said it had launched a drone strike against a vessel in the Black Sea that it claimed was carrying supplies intended for Ukraine’s armed forces.
The attacks have disrupted civilian life in Kyiv. Taras Shevchenko National University ordered students to remain at home and moved teaching online until at least October 16, citing the “deteriorating security situation” in the capital.
The university’s main campus is close to the National Academy of Sciences, which was struck by a drone on Monday. One person was killed in that attack.
Elsewhere, Russian glide bombs struck a school in Sumy, killing two people and injuring six, according to regional governor Oleh Hryhorov.
Hryhorov said three children were among those injured, while teachers and school officials evacuated about 100 people from the building.
The nuclear warning over Kaliningrad comes as the confrontation between Russia and NATO remains increasingly tense, while diplomatic efforts involving Washington and Moscow continue.
Kaliningrad occupies a strategically important position on the Baltic Sea, bordered by NATO members Poland and Lithuania. Any escalation surrounding the territory would carry wider implications for European security given its proximity to several NATO states.
The latest exchange underlines the increasingly stark divide between diplomatic efforts to contain the war and the military escalation taking place on the ground, with Kyiv facing intensified Russian attacks while Moscow continues to issue increasingly severe warnings over NATO activity in the Baltic region.
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