Russia has warned of a potential deployment of nuclear missiles in response to the United States’ planned stationing of long-range conventional weapons in Germany. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, quoted by the Interfax news agency, said that Russia is not ruling out any options to defend its Kaliningrad region, located between NATO members Poland and Lithuania. This comes after the US announced its intention to deploy weapons, including SM-6, Tomahawk, and new hypersonic missiles, in Germany from 2026, citing its commitment to NATO and European defense. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Moscow would resume producing short and intermediate-range land-based missiles and would determine their deployment locations if necessary. Most of Russia’s missile systems are adaptable for both conventional and nuclear warheads. Ryabkov emphasized that Russia will explore all possible options, including cost considerations, to formulate an effective response to the US move. He highlighted Kaliningrad’s vulnerability to aggressive actions, stating that “Kaliningrad is no exception in terms of our 100% determination to do everything necessary to push back those who may harbour aggressive plans and who try to provoke us to take certain steps that are undesirable for anyone and are fraught with further complications.” The planned deployment of missiles by both Russia and the United States involves intermediate-range ground-based weapons that were prohibited under the 1987 US-Soviet treaty. The US withdrew from the treaty in 2019, accusing Russia of violations, which Moscow denied. Security experts view these planned deployments as part of an escalating arms race, adding to existing threats amidst heightened tensions stemming from the Ukraine war. A Russian deployment of nuclear missiles in Kaliningrad, due to its proximity to NATO countries, would send a powerful message to the West. However, Andrey Baklitskiy, an arms control expert at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, suggests that such a deployment would likely be readily visible to NATO intelligence and surveillance, potentially diminishing its strategic impact. In a telephone interview earlier this week, Baklitskiy proposed alternative deployment locations for Russian missiles, including the Moscow or Leningrad regions, or Chukotka in the far east, allowing for targeting of Alaska or even California.
