Russia sent a document to NATO warning the alliance that Moscow could use nuclear weapons in response to an attempt to isolate the Russian exclave Kaliningrad. 

Reuters reported viewing the document on Wednesday. “Russia will be ready to use the entire arsenal of forces and capabilities at its disposal, including nuclear weapons, in order to defend ​its territory should NATO countries undertake any attempt aimed at isolating the Kaliningrad Region from the rest of the country,” the document explains. 

It continued, “The document also raised the possibility of Russia striking ‘decision-making centers’ in NATO member states from the outset of a conflict.”

Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea, separated from the rest of Russia and bordered by NATO members Poland and Lithuania. The territory lies roughly 40 miles from Russian ally Belarus at the narrow Suwalki Gap.

In response to the Russian document, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte asserted that NATO is a defensive alliance and Moscow could stop making nuclear threats. “We are a defensive alliance. And stop the nuclear threats. This is absolutely not called for and not helpful,” he said. 

NATO’s characterization of itself as a strictly defensive alliance has been disputed. The bloc attacked Libya in 2011 and led the multinational military mission in Afghanistan for nearly two decades. Additionally, NATO has worked to arm Ukraine, a non-member, in its war with Russia. 

Rutte went on to downplay the Russian nuclear threat. “No, it’s not. Putin knows that he can never win (against) NATO, so I don’t take this that ​seriously,” he added. 

Russia also issued statements from three of its European embassy accounts that included the threat to use nuclear weapons in response to the isolation of Kaliningrad. Kremlin ​spokesman Dmitry Peskov described ⁠the statements as reminders to the “hotheads in Europe.”