KALININGRAD, September 29. /TASS/. Any NATO scenarios involving the forced isolation of Russia’s Kaliningrad Region are unacceptable and pose extremely serious risks to the entire European security system, Andrey Kropotkin, chairman of the regional legislative assembly, told TASS.

Earlier, the Russian Embassy in Belgium, which oversees diplomatic contacts with the North Atlantic Alliance, reported that it had warned NATO of an increased risk of direct armed conflict should the alliance pursue an irresponsible course of action regarding the Kaliningrad Region. It said that Russia is prepared to use its entire arsenal of weapons to defend its territory in the event of any attempts by NATO countries to blockade the region.

"I believe that such signals are important, first and foremost, for their extreme clarity. The Russian side has officially conveyed its position to NATO: any scenarios involving the forcible isolation of the Kaliningrad Region are unacceptable and pose extremely serious risks to the entire European security system. Whether this will have a sobering effect remains to be seen from the further actions of our Western neighbors and NATO leadership. "But the fewer ambiguities and miscalculations there are in such matters, the lower the risk of dangerous escalation," the expert stated.

The Kaliningrad Region is a semi-exclave of Russia that is separated from the main territory of the Russian Federation by the borders of European Union and NATO countries. Recently, aggressive rhetoric directed at the Kaliningrad Region has intensified. In particular, the foreign press has been voicing threats of an economic and territorial blockade of the Russian region.

President Vladimir Putin stated during his annual year-end press conference that Russia would eliminate any threats to the Kaliningrad Region should they arise, though he hopes they will not. The head of state warned that threats of a blockade of the region could lead to a large-scale armed conflict.