The Black Sea was once a geopolitical afterthought in Europe. But that has changed since Russia began its war against Ukraine. Now, many interests are colliding on the inland sea between Europe and Asia.
Since the end of the grain deal between Russia and Ukraine, both countries have increased attacks on each other's merchant ships on the Black Sea. Russia has blocked the agreement since mid-July — more frequently shelling Ukrainian ports and threatening cargo ships. Ukraine, in turn, has declared six ports on Russia's Black Sea coast war-risk areas and threatened retaliatory attacks on freighters, tankers and port facilities.
As a gateway to the rest of the world, the Black Sea has immense strategic and economic importance for both Russia and Ukraine. But other countries with coasts on the Black Sea — particularly the NATO members Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania — also have interests there.
During the Russian Empire and, later, in Soviet times, the Black Sea formed the southern flank of the great power. It has remained a springboard from which Russia can exert its influence in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, North Africa and Southern Europe. The Black Sea also gives the Kremlin access to more distant countries where it is militarily active, such as Libya and Syria, which hosts a Russian naval base in Tartus.
Russia's military centerpiece in the region is its Black Sea fleet, which has been headquartered in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol continuously since 1793. Annexed from Ukraine in 2014, the facility has special significance for Moscow as a rare deep-water port that can be used for military purposes even in winter.
~ Bepress, Abaca, Picture Alliance
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