EU politicians’ statements about Kaliningrad run beyond all bounds — Russian MP

KALININGRAD, October 6. /TASS/. EU politicians have gone too far in their statements regarding Russia’s Kaliningrad Region, and Russia has every right to use force in case of any escalation, Alexander Shenderyuk-Zhidkov, a Russian senator from the Kaliningrad Region, told TASS.

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said earlier in October that Russia’s warnings that it would use its entire arsenal of weapons in the event of a blockade of the Kaliningrad Region do not constitute a threat to European Union and NATO countries. Addressing the plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club on October 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that Moscow is not trying to intimidate anyone, and the statements about defending the Kaliningrad Region are merely a response to attempts to intimidate Russia. Russia’s Embassy in Brussels warned NATO that the alliance’s irresponsible policy regarding Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad heightens the risk of a direct military confrontation.

"Recently, Western politicians have gone too far with their threats against Kaliningrad, with their constant military exercises, spy plane flights, and statements regarding the Kaliningrad Region. And, in fact, this endless escalation is going beyond all bounds. Therefore, Dmitry Peskov is absolutely right, saying that our president’s statements are not a threat. This is a statement of fact: Kaliningrad is part of Russia, and in the event of any escalation around it, our country, as a world’s leading nuclear power, has every right to use nuclear weapons against those hostile nations that seek to encroach upon its sovereignty. In my view, Vladimir Putin only reminded our unfriendly neighbors of Russia’s strength and of the fact that it will use that strength in the event of any provocations against Kaliningrad, which has been, is, and will remain Russian territory," Shenderyuk-Zhidkov, who is first deputy chairman of the budget and financial markets committee of Russia’s Federation Council, or upper house of parliament, said.

The Kaliningrad Region is a semi-exclave and is separated from the main country by the borders of the European Union and NATO states. Aggressive rhetoric has recently intensified against the Kaliningrad Region. For instance, there are threats of an economic and territorial blockade of the Russian region in the foreign press.