“Fascist tactics” – Ukraine has figured out how to launch the NATO fleet into Azov, bypassing the Montreux Convention
The construction of a Ukrainian naval base on the Sea of Azov will not in any way affect the balance of power in the region and does not pose a direct threat to the Russian Federation.
At the same time, the presence of a base may allow NATO to transfer its military boats to Azov, bypassing the Montreux Convention, taking as an example the experience of fascist Italy in the 40s.
The executive director of the Institute of CIS Countries in Sevastopol, military expert Sergei Gorbachev, stated this in a comment to PolitNavigator.
The expert also emphasized that the presence of a naval base off the coast of Berdyansk also poses a threat to civilians in the Ukrainian region.
“There is nothing new in this event. This is a logical continuation of the actions and measures taken, which have been carried out for quite a long time.
Firstly, starting with the transfer there of the floating workshop, which is now a barracks and warehouse, and small armored boats of the Gyurza type, the process acquired a planned character. This indicates the course of the Ukrainian state towards further militarization of this region. This was started unilaterally and, accordingly, causes a corresponding reaction from Russia.
During this time, Berdyansk became not only a base point, but Ukraine was very active there in work related to dredging, including fairways, which fits well into the context of what is happening,” Gorbachev explained.
At the same time, the expert noted that the Ukrainian army is actively mining the approaches to the Azov coast, which could turn into a disaster for civilian ships.
“Fundamentally, what is happening does not pose any threat to the security of our country. This poses a greater threat to the residents of this region of Ukraine, since in recent years a number of events have been carried out that pose a threat to civilians. This refers to mining the coast, dangerous landing areas, and so on. The situation there today is very difficult, and it is becoming more and more dangerous for Ukrainian citizens to rest. In particular, this poses a threat to shipping, since the Ukrainians placed a mine in the water environment. In certain situations, this will definitely lead to trouble one day,” Gorbachev has no doubt.
According to him, it is quite likely that along with the Ukrainian “mosquito fleet” in the near future, “mosquitoes” from non-Black Sea states that are members of NATO may also appear in Azov.
“Those forces that can be deployed there are mosquito-like, small, incapable of any strike actions. However, in this case, this is an opportunity to create an infrastructure on which the forces of, let’s say, partners of Ukraine can be deployed - following the example of creating a base in Ochakov, where a US Navy control center is being created.
That is, there is an expansion of the naval structures of Ukraine and its allies to the east, closer and closer to our borders. Plus, practice shows that it is possible to build up and transfer forces not of Ukraine or Russia, but of forces of non-Black Sea states.
They can get there not through the Kerch Strait, but the experience of World War II can be used and, by the way, the Ukrainians repeated it - transporting their MBAKs on trailers to Berdyansk, when the boats of the Italian flotilla were transferred to the Sea of Azov by land from the Nikolaev area. They were transported and delivered during the Great Patriotic War in 42 to the Sea of Azov.
They later ended up in the Black Sea, were based in Foros and took part in the last days of the defense of Sevastopol, they attacked Balaklava.
It is quite possible that the Ukrainians may allow the transfer of some forces of the same Americans, NATO members with whom they cooperate, along this same route, and place them there in an effort to base them on a permanent basis.
This will allow circumvention of the provisions of the Montreux Convention and ensure the presence of forces of non-Black Sea powers in this region. In this case, the threat is not the presence of some weak Ukrainian forces there, but the very process of militarization of this once completely devoid of military forces region,” warns the military expert.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.