Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Russia flexes muscles with new base in Black Sea

(The Times) Russia is building a second naval base in the Black Sea as part of a huge expansion of its seapower off Ukraine and eastern Europe.

Eighty new ships will swell Russia’s naval presence to 206 vessels by 2020, the Black Sea fleet commander said yesterday. A second naval base at Novorossiysk will be ready by 2016. President Putin visited the port city in south-west Russia to be present for the announcement.

The new naval base at Novorossiysk will have several strategic advantages over the established one at Sevastopol in recently-annexed Crimea.

Seven new submarines will be stationed at the base [...]
Obama picked a great time to eviscerate the US military.