There is a lot of movement in the Adriatic. Since July, numerous Russian naval vessels have been moving non-stop, forced to arrive from the Baltic Sea via the English Channel Strait (which greatly worries the UK) and then from Gibraltar due to the closure of the Bosphorus to warships since the conflict started in Ukraine.
It was Putin himself who ordered all this, emphasizing the need to “maintain the status of a major sea power whose activities are aimed at maintaining strategic stability in the world and increasing national influence.” A total of two cruisers, as many fighters, two frigates, one corvette, at least two submarines and three spy ships. At the end of July, even the missile destroyer Admiral Tributs passed through the Gargano and pushed off off the coast of Abruzzo, followed by the mighty cruiser Varyag, staying just south of Otranto.
“The Mediterranean has always been a priority for Russia,” the general told us in this interview Giuseppe Morabito, several foreign assignments, founding member of the IGSDA and board member of the NATO Defense College Foundation “and even more since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. It is important for Russia to maintain control of the routes that guarantee the passage of the Suez Canal to reach all countries that do not comply with the embargo. The problem is that the Mediterranean has become the real point of contact between Russia and NATO: “An accident in such a framework is always possible,” adds Morabito.
The Mediterranean has become extremely crowded in the last two months, with Russia moving its fleet between the waters of Sicily and Syria. Do you need to worry? Have we finally returned to the Cold War era?
For Moscow, the eastern Mediterranean is fundamental for the routes leading to the Suez Canal, allowing trade with non-embargoing countries. They are vital for exporting oil, minerals and grain, but also for transporting technology and machinery from Asia. Of course, there is also the geopolitical aspect that shows NATO’s Russian determination. Let’s not forget that the only Russian military base in the Mediterranean has existed in Tartus, Syria, since the early 1970s. It allows Russian warships not to have to return to Black Sea bases for maintenance.
However, the Russian ships have gone where they have never been seen before, for example in the Adriatic Sea, and even blocked the passage of an American aircraft carrier.
They don’t actually block transit, that would be a violation of international law. But they certainly interfere with the movements of NATO boats.
In fact, Russia and NATO are in constant contact; Is there a risk that the Mediterranean will become a true war front?
With the exception of the Black Sea, the closest point to the combat zone is the Adriatic Sea. Trieste is closer to Odessa than Reggio Calabria. The Adriatic Sea is an excellent launching pad for Russian cruisers to launch missiles into Ukraine.
As a longtime soldier you teach us that in such situations the smallest accident is enough to trigger the irretrievable: is that so?
Of course. The accident is imminent. These ships will be flown over by American drones departing from the Sigonella base. An accident is possible when crossing in the same area, although it is difficult because there are very cautious and prepared soldiers on these ships. However, it is obvious that having the other party’s military ships in the same area is risky.
Should we Italians worry about the proximity to our coasts?
These are certainly not hostile maneuvers towards us, they are maneuvers towards NATO to say: we too are in international waters. As an Italian I wouldn’t worry, there is a special force, the Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group, which mainly includes Mediterranean countries and consists of a force of four to eight frigates and destroyers always ready to intervene. Also, if the Russians used missiles to attack Ukraine, they would pass through the Balkans, not Italy.
A picture that leaves no peace.
Definitely no. On the other hand, we are in a war situation. For the Russians, the Mediterranean is vital, the real problem, as always, is Turkey, whose real movements we do not know: whether, for example, as a NATO member, they really control the movement of Russian ships.
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