The Black Sea, which was once insignificant, has become one of the most important regions in shaping the maritime security of Russia, many NATO countries, and other regional players because it serves as the best trade and transit route, as well as a significant source of naval power for several countries.

“The Black Sea, once insignificant, has become one of the most important regions in shaping maritime security.”

Russia must maintain its main Black Sea Fleet base, the “Sevastopol Naval Base,” on the globally contested Crimean Peninsula, which is used by the Russian Navy. The Black Sea Fleet is the same Imperial Russian Navy that the Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (SFSR) inherited in 1918 and partitioned between Russia and Ukraine in 1997.

The significance of the Black Sea was nevertheless further enhanced by the Special Military operation in Ukraine in 2022. In February and March of that year, Russia assigned its military forces, including the Black Sea Fleet, the mission of blocking Ukraine’s maritime communications in the northwest of the Black Sea.

This was followed by a naval landing operation in the southern portions of the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions’ coasts. The operation’s objective was to occupy the Odesa region, which would provide access to the Moldovan border in the unstable areas of Gagauzia and Transnistria. It was also hoped that this would lead to the eventual conquest of Moldova. To this goal, six extra big amphibious ships from the Northern and Baltic Fleets were sent to the Black Sea on February 8-9, 2022. About 80 warships, boats, and up to 200 support vessels were spread across seven locations in February 2022 as part of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

Russia also sent artillery and amphibious vessels from the Caspian Flotilla to the Black Sea. That naval formation was reinforced by several dozen FSB Border Service ships and boats (News, 2025). Although the losses caused by Ukrainian forces’ missile attacks over the Russian Black Sea fleet represented a significant setback for Russia, it did not allow it to sit idly by.

“Russia must maintain its main Black Sea Fleet base on the contested Crimean Peninsula.”

Instead, Russia is actively seeking new strategies to counter Ukrainian USV and missile threats and is currently developing its own USV fleet. Russia’s objective was to either block Ukraine’s maritime communication in the northwest Black Sea or seize the coast of the Odesa region. Regional order, geopolitical identity, and interactions between states in the broader region are all being reshaped by geopolitical struggle in the Black Sea.

The Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean have gradually become one geopolitical arena, with regional and major power rivalry playing out. Russia’s view of itself as a major power depends on the Black Sea. Its regional policy aims to develop and exploit vulnerabilities by attacking coastal states’ territorial integrity, weaponizing energy and commercial linkages, disrupting connectivity, and boosting military presence.

Given that many coastal states, including Bulgaria and Romania, are not only members of NATO but also of the European Union, and many more, like Georgia and Ukraine, are aspiring to join NATO specifically, the actions of NATO and even the European Union force nations like Russia to consider bolstering their naval military capabilities.

These are some of the factors that further strengthen Russia’s will to 788 demonstrate its capabilities to oppose these coalitions and their activities on land and in the sea. Russia feels the necessity to win a war with Ukraine to reclaim its advantage in the Black Sea in its conflict with the West. Its immediate goals are to seize control of Odesa, secure the land connection with Crimea, and set off Ukraine from the Black Sea coast.

“Regional order, geopolitical identity, and interactions between states are being reshaped by struggle in the Black Sea.”

Russia would be able to control the oil and marine trade routes. After Finland and Sweden joined NATO, Russia felt pressured in the Baltic Sea and is probably going to step up its efforts in the Black Sea to make up for the losses in the Baltic. The West has to rethink its place and function in Europe’s broader eastern and southern neighborhoods because containing Russia would not only be difficult but almost impossible.

Russia’s concerns over the Black Sea cannot be dismissed as pointless because history demonstrates that the more powerful a nation’s naval forces are, the more they may increase their control. Take the Ottoman, Roman, and other historical empires as examples. They could become the most powerful military because they possessed sufficient naval power.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.