Inscription: In order to compete for the Gulf of Finland and the Black Sea, Tsarist Russia and SwedenOttomanTurkey waged a centuries-long war. These wars led to Sweden's transformation from a European power to a third-rate countryOttomanTurkey exhausted all its forces and finally collapsed. Today, Russia has largely lost the ability to spread its influence from the Gulf of Finland, and if it loses control of the Black Sea, it will have extremely serious consequences. Recently, the Russian side declared that they will negotiate on the current line of control and will not take a step back, in order to protect their interests in the Black Sea. However, will Russia be able to do it?This Russia-Ukraine war, on the surface, is a territorial war, but in fact it covers up a protracted battle for sea power. Judging by the importance of sea power, Russia has already suffered huge losses!Although they achieved some successes on land, this could not compensate for their losses in sea power: access to the Gulf of Finland was controlledBlack Sea FleetIt's also constantly retreating. Who is likely to lose all this in the Russian-Ukrainian war?
At the moment, Russia still occupies the eastern part of Ukraine andCrimeaand other 110,000 square kilometers of territory. Some people think that Russia already has 17.2 million square kilometers of land, so why should it care about these 110,000 square kilometers?However, they did not realize that this 110,000 square kilometers of territory surroundsSea of Azovand the Black Sea, which controls the shipping routes to the Mediterranean. The struggle for territory is really a struggle for sea power. Since the beginning of the conflict, Russia has not abandoned its operations in southern Ukraine. They are trying to take control of Zaporizhzhia, Yuzhno-Donetsk, Kherson and Mariupol, among others, in order to take controlSea of Azovcoastal areas, strengthenedCrimeacontrol. All these efforts are aimed at further expanding their control over the Black Sea. However, has Russia really achieved more than it did before the conflict?EverBlack Sea FleetLong gone in the past.
In the course of the development of the war, people developed from the initial struggle for land rights and interests to the discussion of the struggle for sea power. Domination of the seas means gaining hegemony, which is based on the characteristics of the oceans with the largest transport capacity and global connectivity. As a result, those countries that control the seas, such as Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, etc., have become regional and even global hegemons. This is because the ocean transport capacity and influence are the greatest. Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union also made long war efforts for this. Historically, they constantly searched for an outlet to the sea, eventually establishing their own in the Gulf of Finland and the Black SeaNavyStrength. However, in the Russian-Ukrainian war, Russia'sNavyStrength suffered a serious loss. They can no longer expand their sea power, andBlack Sea Fleet's control is also declining. This will deal a serious blow to Russia's maritime transport capacity and regional influence. Russia can no longer afford to lose control of the Black Sea, which will cost them great losses.
The dilemma that Russia is facing now is that they cannot completely solve the Ukrainian problem by military means. Military action can only bring short-term victories, but it cannot win long-term peace and stability. This has been demonstrated by previous examples, such as Napoleon's invasion of Russia and the Soviet UnionInvasion of AfghanistanWait. Russia has a harsh environment and a vast territory, and its military operations will face great challenges. In addition, Russia has to faceInternationalsocial sanctions and pressures, which on their economies andInternationalThe image has had a negative impact. In this case, the cost of Russia's continuation of military operations will become higher and higher.
In the current situation, a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian issue is of great importance. For Russia, it is essential to maintain control of the Black Sea. For Ukraine, the restoration of territorial integrity is in their national interest. Both sides should be aware that resolving disputes through dialogue and compromise is the only way forward. InternationalSociety should intensify its good offices and promote dialogue and negotiation between the two sides in order to achieve a peaceful settlement.
In short, the Russian-Ukrainian war is actually a struggle for sea power. Russia can no longer afford to lose control of the Black Sea, otherwise it will face serious losses. A peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian issue is very important, and both sides need to achieve long-term peace and stability through dialogue and compromise. InternationalSociety should intensify its good offices and promote dialogue and negotiation between the two sides in order to achieve a peaceful settlement.