Black Sea and Russia

• 16 Apr 2022

For Prelims: Black Sea’s Geography.

For Mains: Russia War against Ukraine, Black Sea’s Importance to Russia, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Why in News?

Recently, the sinking of the warship Moskva, flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet — whether due to a Ukrainian missile strike or, as Russia claims, a fire on board — is a serious setback for Russia in the War against Ukraine.

What is the Black Sea’s Geography?

• Littoral Geography: The Black Sea is bordered by Ukraine to the north and northwest, Russia and Georgia to the east, Turkey to the south, and Bulgaria and Romania to the west.
• Maritime Geography: It links to the Sea of Marmara through the Bosphorus Strait and then to the Aegean Sea through the Dardanelles strait.

What is the Importance of Black Sea to Russia?

• Strategic Importance: Domination of the Black Sea region is a geostrategic imperative for Russia, both to project Russian power in the Mediterranean and to secure the economic gateway to key markets in southern Europe.
  • Gateway to Mediterranean Sea: It has traditionally been Russia’s warm water gateway to Europe.
  • Strategic Buffer: It is a strategic buffer between the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and itself.
• Black Sea Fleet: In this context, Russia has been making efforts to gain complete control over the Black Sea since the Crimean crisis of 2014.
  • Thus, Russia has stationed its Black Sea naval fleet in the Black Sea.
  • Black Sea Fleet: The Black Sea Fleet has a long history and is considered to have been founded back in 1783.
    • It comprises warships of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea, Sea of Azov, and the eastern Mediterranean, and is headquartered at Sevastopol, the major port on the Crimean peninsula.

What is Russia Doing in the Black Sea?

• During the ongoing invasion, the domination of the Black Sea has been a major Russian objective, along with the land bridge to connect Russia and Crimea.
• Capturing Mariupol: There have been intense efforts to capture Mariupol, the Sea of Azov port in the breakaway eastern Ukrainian oblast of Donetsk.
• Capturing Odessa: Russia was also expected to focus its military efforts on Odessa, to the west of Crimea.
  • If the Odessa region were to fall as well, Ukraine would lose access to its entire Black Sea coastline and would in effect be reduced to a landlocked country.
  • It is also the largest region in Ukraine which serves as an important energy and transport corridor with abundant natural resources.
  • The Rhine-Main-Danube canal connects the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and the port of Odessa serves as a vital link between Ukraine and the outside world.

What are Russia's Prospects?

• The loss of the warship Moskva is expected to put brakes on an anticipated amphibious assault on Odessa.
• This incident means Russia has now suffered damage to two key naval assets since invading Ukraine, the first being Russia’s Alligator class landing ship Saratov in March 2022.
• Both events will likely lead Russia to review its maritime posture in the Black Sea.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q. Consider the following pairs: (2019)

  Sea Bordering     Country

1. Adriatic Sea   :   Albania
2. Black Sea      :   Croatia
3. Caspian Sea   :  Kazakhstan
4. Mediterranean Sea : Morocco
5. Red Sea         :   Syria
   

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) 1, 2 and 4 only
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Ans: (b)

Q. Turkey is located between (2014)

(a) Black Sea and Caspian Sea
(b) Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea
(c) Gulf of Suez and Mediterranean Sea
(d) Gulf of Aqaba and Dead Sea

Ans: (b)

Source: IE