Vladimir Putin raised fears of war with Nato by threatening the EU nations bordering Kaliningrad on a surprise visit to the Russian exclave.
The Russian president flew into the territory sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland amid growing concern it could become the flashpoint for a future conflict.
Putin appeared to taunt the Baltic nations, flying close to Estonia and hugging the coasts of Latvia and Lithuania in his “Flying Kremlin” presidential plane, before landing in Kaliningrad.
Fighter jets were deployed off the eastern coast of the Swedish island Gotland as Putin approached the Baltic Sea.
Talking to students at the Kant Baltic Federal University, Putin hit out at Kaliningrad’s neighbours for tearing down Soviet war memorials.
“This is stunning ignorance and lack of understanding of where they live, what they are doing and what will follow,” he said.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, said the visit was not intended to send a warning to Nato but for the purpose of boosting “development.”
“When the president visits the regions of the Russian Federation, it is not a message to Nato countries,” Mr Peskov said.
“The most important thing is not to send messages, but to do what he has been doing for many years – working on the development of our country and our regions.”
Despite the Kremlin’s denials, the timing of Putin’s visit to the heart of Europe – amid a heightened Russian threat of a wider war with the West – is significant.
Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, was forced to rule out conscription on Wednesday after the head of The Army warned that civilians would have to sign up to fight Russia if there was a war.
In January, Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, said Putin could declare war on Nato in “five to eight years”.
**Trip to remind residents ‘you’re Russia’**
Camille Grand, an analyst with the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank, said Putin was sending several messages, including reminding people in Kaliningrad that “you’re Russia”.
“This is in my view a clear attempt to signal that the Baltic Sea is no Nato sea after Finland and Sweden applied to join Nato,” he said.
It was also “a way to remind the West that Russia has military assets in Kaliningrad,” he added.
Mr Peskov said that “militaristic statements” from Baltic countries posed a threat to Kaliningrad, which Russia absorbed following the Second World War.
“One year is enough for them to do something horrible in our direction,” he said. British troops are stationed in Estonia, as part of Nato’s defences.
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia in January agreed to set up a common Baltic defence zone on their borders with Russia and Belarus. They will build a wall of “anti-mobility defensive installations” and develop missile-artillery cooperation.
Former Soviet state Estonia will build 600 bunkers, each accommodating up to 10 soldiers, along its 182 mile border with Russia.
Hanno Pevkur, the Estonian defence minister, said the war in Ukraine proved the need for “physical defensive structures at the border from the first metre to protect Estonia.”
Kaliningrad is viewed as the most likely place to start a war between Russia and Nato.
Moscow deployed warplanes armed with state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles to the region shortly after its illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Later, it threatened to deploy missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads to the Russian “island” on the Baltic Sea.
The 60-mile Suwalki Gap on the border between Poland and Lithuania connects Kaliningrad with Russia’s ally Belarus, where Russian troops are stationed.
If Putin moved his forces from Belarus across the gap to Kaliningrad in a sudden thrust, he could cut off Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from their allies and supply lines in central and western Europe. Nato generals have called the Suwalki Gap the alliance’s “Achilles Heel”.
He can’t. Russia and its allies will be turned into glass immediately.
Lol this dude can’t even take ukraine how’s he gonna fight NATO?
NATO is going to kick Russia’s shit in and then Putin will flip the table out of spite and pettiness.
If NATO and European leaders are seriously worried about a conflict with Russia and possibly other nations, the time to prepare is now.
Bomb shelters need to be built, weapons, ammo, uniforms, food and water rations, medical supplies, vehicles, defenses all need to be built, gathered and stored, factories might need to be built and tooled appropriately, citizens need to know where their place in the service will be assuming a necessary call to arms/mobilization whether a solider or stock boy, etc.
This will take years, we need to bite the bullet and get moving now.
There is a lot of war-mongering here. Many people didnt suspect Putin would invade Ukraine but he did. However, invading Ukraine and attacking the most powerful military alliance in the world, of which many nations are nuclear capable is a very different subject. War with NATO means Russia is fair game and the Russian people or military wont be so happy about Eurojets bombing the shit out of them. Theres no legacy if all those who could keep your legacy are turned to ash. I was one of the few in my circle who believe Russia would invade Ukraine because the variable made sense. In this case, I do not see Putin making a move.
Lmao, he threatens of war with Nato but his army couldn’t even do shit against “ballsack face” prigozine when he started moving toward Moscow with his mutineer. What a fucking clown.
” when the president visits regions of the Russian Federation, it is not a message to NATO countries” Kremlin spokesman
So… It’s definitely a message to NATO countries…
Lately the telegraph has been pushing real hard on fear mongering of war.
Spreading it all over reddit, where circlejerks eat it up.
Here’s another headline for you: “Putin visits a different part of Russia, which happens to be close to NATO nations”.
That’s it. That’s what happened.
“SPARKS FEARS OF WAR”
Fuck off torygraph. Literally the only person saying this is you.
Journalism of the 21st century people. Obvious propaganda being spread on social media.
We’re no better than Russia if you just easily eat this up, thinking that war is coming to your doorstep tomorrow.
If world peace has to be achieved, something needs to be done about Russia.
putin clone.
the real putin won’t leave his bunker, only travels by train, and certainly doesn’t mix with strangers unless they’ve been quarantined & tested first.
“Putin sparks fears of war with Nato as he visits a Russian city”
And meanwhile in the states Donald Trump has shown his disdain for NATO over and over. I wonder who’s in his ear.
Two years ago Zelensky warned the world that Putin would do this. The world has every opportunity to snuff Russia out then and they didn’t. They sat back and watched him bombard Ukraine while they trickled in support. Never enough for Ukraine to do what they needed to do.
That’s fucking dumb. Dude is getting his ass handed to him by just our weapons.
How can anyone upvote this BS?
How on earth is this
“threatening the EU nations” by “visiting kaliningrad”. A president visiting any part of his country should not be threatening to any other country.
This is some Kremlin level BS populist manipulative journalism. How about we not go down on that level?
Title is incorrect. Putin sparks fears of war with NATO as he visits Königsberg.
Can anyone explain to me why we should be worried?
He’s got his hands full taking on one country that’s being help by nato
And we’re worried he’ll take on nato?
Why would Russia even want war with NATO to begin with?
Shame no military shot his shrimpy weak ass out of the sky. Might start a war, but it would be a quick one and Russia would get a reset.
What’s kalingrad gonna do? Finland is part of NATO. They have a massive border with Russia of NATO wanted to get into Russia. I would assume Kalingrad would just be bombed into dust while any troops just go around it. It’s not like it’s a choke point to access the balkin states anymore.
It’s exactly what NATO should do. We already have a battlefield. It’s unlikely to escalate.
We keep playing Putin’s game when we should declare war on the special operation specifically in Ukraine. Declare war on terror if we have to.
Wordplay, just as Putin does. Denounce any Russians in Ukraine as a breakaway part of the Russian army. Tell Putin we’re going to handle his renegades for him as a favour 👍
Our world leaders just can’t seem to step outside or the norms and respond to Putin in a manner that takes away his control. Stumped and allowing Putin time to adjust!
The Russian people would get the message – that NATO has no intention of anything other than taking back Ukrainian land. There would be far more unrest and tens of thousands fleeing Russia to avoid conscription.
What the hell are you waiting for?
Hehe the good old say from Clibt Eastwood! Go on make my day!
Fear? He can’t beat Ukraine…
Putin had to cross a NATO country to get there. May be they should have arrested him
Independence for Kaliningrad
Someone just assassinate him already with a Cybernetically engineered neurotoxic Wasp
If the United States were under GOP rule, moreso than it is already, could NATO defend itself?
Can’t believe I used to be petrified of Russia growing up in the 1980’s
What a joke
If trump gets elected and abandons nato, and putin decided to invade poland and baltics, his chances of success are very high, change my mind.
“Media sparks fear of war with Nato as the articles need to keep getting more and more fear mongering in order to sustain clickbait effect”
32 comments
***The Telegraph reports:***
Vladimir Putin raised fears of war with Nato by threatening the EU nations bordering Kaliningrad on a surprise visit to the Russian exclave.
The Russian president flew into the territory sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland amid growing concern it could become the flashpoint for a future conflict.
Putin appeared to taunt the Baltic nations, flying close to Estonia and hugging the coasts of Latvia and Lithuania in his “Flying Kremlin” presidential plane, before landing in Kaliningrad.
Fighter jets were deployed off the eastern coast of the Swedish island Gotland as Putin approached the Baltic Sea.
Talking to students at the Kant Baltic Federal University, Putin hit out at Kaliningrad’s neighbours for tearing down Soviet war memorials.
“This is stunning ignorance and lack of understanding of where they live, what they are doing and what will follow,” he said.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, said the visit was not intended to send a warning to Nato but for the purpose of boosting “development.”
“When the president visits the regions of the Russian Federation, it is not a message to Nato countries,” Mr Peskov said.
“The most important thing is not to send messages, but to do what he has been doing for many years – working on the development of our country and our regions.”
Despite the Kremlin’s denials, the timing of Putin’s visit to the heart of Europe – amid a heightened Russian threat of a wider war with the West – is significant.
Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, was forced to rule out conscription on Wednesday after the head of The Army warned that civilians would have to sign up to fight Russia if there was a war.
In January, Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, said Putin could declare war on Nato in “five to eight years”.
**Trip to remind residents ‘you’re Russia’**
Camille Grand, an analyst with the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank, said Putin was sending several messages, including reminding people in Kaliningrad that “you’re Russia”.
“This is in my view a clear attempt to signal that the Baltic Sea is no Nato sea after Finland and Sweden applied to join Nato,” he said.
It was also “a way to remind the West that Russia has military assets in Kaliningrad,” he added.
Mr Peskov said that “militaristic statements” from Baltic countries posed a threat to Kaliningrad, which Russia absorbed following the Second World War.
“One year is enough for them to do something horrible in our direction,” he said. British troops are stationed in Estonia, as part of Nato’s defences.
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia in January agreed to set up a common Baltic defence zone on their borders with Russia and Belarus. They will build a wall of “anti-mobility defensive installations” and develop missile-artillery cooperation.
Former Soviet state Estonia will build 600 bunkers, each accommodating up to 10 soldiers, along its 182 mile border with Russia.
Hanno Pevkur, the Estonian defence minister, said the war in Ukraine proved the need for “physical defensive structures at the border from the first metre to protect Estonia.”
Kaliningrad is viewed as the most likely place to start a war between Russia and Nato.
Moscow deployed warplanes armed with state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles to the region shortly after its illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Later, it threatened to deploy missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads to the Russian “island” on the Baltic Sea.
The 60-mile Suwalki Gap on the border between Poland and Lithuania connects Kaliningrad with Russia’s ally Belarus, where Russian troops are stationed.
If Putin moved his forces from Belarus across the gap to Kaliningrad in a sudden thrust, he could cut off Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from their allies and supply lines in central and western Europe. Nato generals have called the Suwalki Gap the alliance’s “Achilles Heel”.
**Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/01/25/putin-sparks-fears-war-with-nato-with-visit-to-kaliningrad/**
To Putin, everywhere is Russia.
He can’t. Russia and its allies will be turned into glass immediately.
Lol this dude can’t even take ukraine how’s he gonna fight NATO?
NATO is going to kick Russia’s shit in and then Putin will flip the table out of spite and pettiness.
If NATO and European leaders are seriously worried about a conflict with Russia and possibly other nations, the time to prepare is now.
Bomb shelters need to be built, weapons, ammo, uniforms, food and water rations, medical supplies, vehicles, defenses all need to be built, gathered and stored, factories might need to be built and tooled appropriately, citizens need to know where their place in the service will be assuming a necessary call to arms/mobilization whether a solider or stock boy, etc.
This will take years, we need to bite the bullet and get moving now.
There is a lot of war-mongering here. Many people didnt suspect Putin would invade Ukraine but he did. However, invading Ukraine and attacking the most powerful military alliance in the world, of which many nations are nuclear capable is a very different subject. War with NATO means Russia is fair game and the Russian people or military wont be so happy about Eurojets bombing the shit out of them. Theres no legacy if all those who could keep your legacy are turned to ash. I was one of the few in my circle who believe Russia would invade Ukraine because the variable made sense. In this case, I do not see Putin making a move.
Lmao, he threatens of war with Nato but his army couldn’t even do shit against “ballsack face” prigozine when he started moving toward Moscow with his mutineer. What a fucking clown.
” when the president visits regions of the Russian Federation, it is not a message to NATO countries” Kremlin spokesman
So… It’s definitely a message to NATO countries…
Lately the telegraph has been pushing real hard on fear mongering of war.
Spreading it all over reddit, where circlejerks eat it up.
Here’s another headline for you: “Putin visits a different part of Russia, which happens to be close to NATO nations”.
That’s it. That’s what happened.
“SPARKS FEARS OF WAR”
Fuck off torygraph. Literally the only person saying this is you.
Journalism of the 21st century people. Obvious propaganda being spread on social media.
We’re no better than Russia if you just easily eat this up, thinking that war is coming to your doorstep tomorrow.
If world peace has to be achieved, something needs to be done about Russia.
putin clone.
the real putin won’t leave his bunker, only travels by train, and certainly doesn’t mix with strangers unless they’ve been quarantined & tested first.
“Putin sparks fears of war with Nato as he visits a Russian city”
And meanwhile in the states Donald Trump has shown his disdain for NATO over and over. I wonder who’s in his ear.
Two years ago Zelensky warned the world that Putin would do this. The world has every opportunity to snuff Russia out then and they didn’t. They sat back and watched him bombard Ukraine while they trickled in support. Never enough for Ukraine to do what they needed to do.
That’s fucking dumb. Dude is getting his ass handed to him by just our weapons.
How can anyone upvote this BS?
How on earth is this
“threatening the EU nations” by “visiting kaliningrad”. A president visiting any part of his country should not be threatening to any other country.
This is some Kremlin level BS populist manipulative journalism. How about we not go down on that level?
Title is incorrect. Putin sparks fears of war with NATO as he visits Königsberg.
Can anyone explain to me why we should be worried?
He’s got his hands full taking on one country that’s being help by nato
And we’re worried he’ll take on nato?
Why would Russia even want war with NATO to begin with?
Shame no military shot his shrimpy weak ass out of the sky. Might start a war, but it would be a quick one and Russia would get a reset.
What’s kalingrad gonna do? Finland is part of NATO. They have a massive border with Russia of NATO wanted to get into Russia. I would assume Kalingrad would just be bombed into dust while any troops just go around it. It’s not like it’s a choke point to access the balkin states anymore.
It’s exactly what NATO should do. We already have a battlefield. It’s unlikely to escalate.
We keep playing Putin’s game when we should declare war on the special operation specifically in Ukraine. Declare war on terror if we have to.
Wordplay, just as Putin does. Denounce any Russians in Ukraine as a breakaway part of the Russian army. Tell Putin we’re going to handle his renegades for him as a favour 👍
Our world leaders just can’t seem to step outside or the norms and respond to Putin in a manner that takes away his control. Stumped and allowing Putin time to adjust!
The Russian people would get the message – that NATO has no intention of anything other than taking back Ukrainian land. There would be far more unrest and tens of thousands fleeing Russia to avoid conscription.
What the hell are you waiting for?
Hehe the good old say from Clibt Eastwood! Go on make my day!
Fear? He can’t beat Ukraine…
Putin had to cross a NATO country to get there. May be they should have arrested him
Independence for Kaliningrad
Someone just assassinate him already with a Cybernetically engineered neurotoxic Wasp
If the United States were under GOP rule, moreso than it is already, could NATO defend itself?
Can’t believe I used to be petrified of Russia growing up in the 1980’s
What a joke
If trump gets elected and abandons nato, and putin decided to invade poland and baltics, his chances of success are very high, change my mind.
“Media sparks fear of war with Nato as the articles need to keep getting more and more fear mongering in order to sustain clickbait effect”