America failed to grasp Russian goal in Black Sea

Russian land grab was the real cause when she fought Ottomans. Similarly the real cause for Russia to unleash massive attack over Odessa & Southern Ukraine is to grab the entire Black Sea coastline rendering Ukraine a landlocked country. Details follow:

On March 29, 2022, one month after Russian invasion into Ukraine, I wrote my blog post titled “Russia extending Black Sea coastline” (Read) wherein I stated that the real cause is to extend the coastline Russia officially has in the black Sea which is a meagre 800 km to be extended up to  app. 2,960 km a whopping 370% increase where the net gain for Russia tantamount to be the largest sea grab in history.

Here are the selected snippets of the blog post for your reading pleasure:

Indeed the fault lies on America led NATO, who bent upon eastward expansion to its logical conclusion made Bucharest Declaration in April 2008.  Much hype was placed on Ukraine and Georgia as star entrants to the Alliance. Evidently, alarm bells rang in the halls of Kremlin. Citing humanitarian concerns, Putin delivered the first salvo. Grabbing Abkhazia with an estimated 160 km sea-front plus four airports in good working order: Gogra, Sokhumi, Gudauta and Ochamchire.

NATO handed over one more plate to Putin, this time engineering a colour revolution in Ukraine unseating Yanukovych in 2014 and gradually bringing Nazi & Rightist group to rule Ukraine. Right from the beginning Putin wanted Crimea badly which was earlier ceded to Ukraine by Khrushchev in 1954. Already having the army oiled and ready Putin sent his shock troops that took Crimea almost bloodlessly. Subsequent referendum held in Crimea, as expected, endorsed it as part of Russia. Gain another coastline length of 760 km, with plums in the form of well-maintained ports including coveted Sevastopol, Yalta and Theodosia.

Present conflict engulfed the Sea of Azov with 360 km coastline originally shared by and between Russia & Ukraine falling in its entirety under the control of Kremlin. Port city of Mariupol is already in the hands of Russian forces and another Port city Berdyansk is just a low hanging fruit. Kerch Port, straddling Crimea and Sea of Azov as the entry point, is in Russian possession.

The matrix is now very clear. Russia is contesting the entire black Sea coast line of Ukraine beyond Crimea. Kherson is flipped in a quick foray. Mykolaiv is next to fall and Odessa is under bombardment.

I tallied the extent of Black Sea coast line. Russia originally had 800 km. part of which facing the Azov Sea. Adding the acquisition from Abkhazia and Crimea it extended to 1720 km. Azov victory lands another 240 km. (Originally belonging to Ukraine) jacking up the total to 1960 km. My presumption is Russia will gain further 1,000 km before hostilities cease. By then Russia emerges the largest coast line holder of Black Sea with close upon 2,960 km. This is tad more than half of the entire Black Sea coast line of 5,800 km.

Presumably Russia is beating America by implementing a successful business strategy.

 

Cheers!

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Business Strategist

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Business Strategist