Bottled up in the Black Sea: Russia is having a dreadful naval war, hindering its great power ambiti

[rangerrebew]

 
Bottled up in the Black Sea: Russia is having a dreadful naval war, hindering its great power ambitions
Published: October 3, 2024 8:33am EDT
Author
Colin Flint
 
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has played out largely on land and in the air. It is a bitterly contested, grueling ground war, accompanied by brutal Russian aerial attacks on civilian infrastructure and a slow but increasing Ukrainian response.

But a less appreciated but vital focus of the war is happening on water, too. There, a contest for control of the Black Sea has seen Russia stunningly defeated.

And this loss has potentially far-reaching consequences. Not only does it constrain Moscow’s ability to project power across the globe through naval means, it has also resulted in Russia’s growing cooperation with China, where Moscow is emerging as a junior party to Beijing on the high seas.

Battle over the Black Sea
The tradition of geopolitical theory has tended to paint an oversimplification of global politics. Theories harkening back to the late 19th century categorized countries as either land powers or maritime powers.

https://theconversation.com/bottled-up-in-the-black-sea-russia-is-having-a-dreadful-naval-war-hindering-its-great-power-ambitions-238195

[rangerrebew]

I wonder what the US is doing to take advantage of this Russian problem?  Besides nothing I mean.

[The_Reader_David]

However the Russo-Ukrainian War ends, Vladimir Putin will go down in history as the first leader to lose a naval engagement with a county which has no navy.

[Kamaji]

However the Russo-Ukrainian War ends, Vladimir Putin will go down in history as the first leader to lose a naval engagement with a county which has no navy.

[Cyber Liberty]

However the Russo-Ukrainian War ends, Vladimir Putin will go down in history as the first leader to lose a naval engagement with a county which has no navy.

[PeteS in CA]

Russia has seen quite a few naval ships sunk or damaged to the point of tying up dry docks and repair facilities. The Russian navy has also been forced to move several of its major vessels from Sevastopol in Crimea farther from Ukraine, to Novorossiysk.

As for the US "taking advantage" of this, what does that mean? The Black Sea is landlocked, with one narrow entrance between European and mainland Turkey. Russian naval vessels in the Black Sea are almost trapped there, exiting with Turkey's knowledge and permission, and currently not allowed to enter (from the Baltic, Arctic, or Pacific Fleets) by treaty with Turkey (due to the war with Ukraine). The US maintains surveillance over the Black Sea using various types of recon assets.