THEATER: BLACK SEA
How might the war
evolve if NATO tries to operate more aggressively in the Black Sea?
By Danny Smith
For thirteen long years the US and British navies had taken possession of the waters of the Persian Gulf with the mission of strangling Iraq's economy and trade. This caused, among other things and only prior to the invasion of March 2003, the death of more than 500,000 children from starvation and lack of medicine. Beyond the United Nations resolutions authorizing these measures and with which Washington shielded itself, the humanitarian consequences on the Iraqi population continue to be a great debt that no international body has investigated, much less prosecuted.
This is related to what
is currently happening in Ukraine where military operations are being
dangerously transferred to the Black Sea. Since Russia terminated the grain
agreement allowing the transit of ships to and from Ukraine for commercial
purposes, military actions launched from the coastal areas over the Kerch
Bridge or even against the Crimean shores have been escalating dangerously.
It should be recalled
that the resolution of the agreement was due to the trafficking of arms of the
Atlantist partners camouflaged with grain cargoes, an action that does not seem
to have been considered by the Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez. Precisely,
and after several drone attacks on the city of Belgorod and Moscow, the Russian
forces struck in a devastating way on the infrastructure of the Ukrainian ports
on the Black Sea such as Odessa and also on the Danube River such as the ports
of Reni and Izmail.
Since the beginning of
the Special Military Operation the Black Sea has been under constant
surveillance of the Russian naval and air forces and the Russian Navy focusing
their operations on protecting the eastern waters at the entrance to the Sea of
Azov.
It was inevitable that
this water space would become a theater of operations.
Following the mounting
of several naval drone and Storm Shadow missile attacks against the Kerch
Bridge and Russian ships coordinated by Ukrainian cells under the direction of
British S.B.S. and S.A.S. advisors, Russian patrols have extended their
operations to the western Black Sea as a way to prevent similar attacks.
Alongside these conventional operations, the Intelligence Directorate of the
Main Staff of the Russian Navy carries out extensive human and electronic
intelligence activities covering the entire Black Sea and this has complicated
interference from their Atlanticist colleagues.
In addition to these
security and reconnaissance operations, the interdiction and boarding of
vessels trying to reach Ukrainian ports for unclear purposes has been extended,
leading in several cases to opening fire on those trying to flee. This
determination has already put on guard the usual rogues like Turkey which, as
we know, has one foot on each end of the board and with the leadership of an
opportunistic politician like President Tiyip Erdogan, all precautions are
worthwhile as he only thinks of his own benefits.
It is clear that
President Vladimir Putin is not surprised by this. This is not the first time
Erdogan has launched rapious stabs against Russia. The experience in Syria back
in 2015 was a sign of this. Turkey is part of NATO and yet, attempts by
Turkish-flagged ships trying to violate restrictions against the security of
the Federation are unceremoniously aborted by Russian frigates such as happened
with the cargo ship “Şükrü Okan”.
This has agitated the
admirals of the “Türk Donanmas” (Turkish Navy) with their General Staff in
Ankara, who together with Erdogan would be evaluating how to deal with the
situation. It should not be forgotten that Turkey controls the strategic
passage through the Bosphorus and just as it does not allow warships to pass
(in accordance with the Montreaux Convention of 1936) at any moment -and in
the face of speculation that gives Erdogan an advantage- it could play the
fool and allow NATO contingents to pass through.
Those who are most
dismayed by this are the Americans and in particular those who maintain their
influence over the admiralty in NATO who see their operations in support of
Kiev hampered.
According to former US
Admiral James Stavridis, this situation is hampering operations on land and
this could force a naval intervention by the Atlantic organization, predicting
that this would be counterproductive for the Russian Navy. For Stavridis, this
Russian blockade is illegal without saying anything about the dubious “legality”
that Washington considers it implies to support the terrorist actions carried
out by Ukrainian groups on Russian territory.
For NATO Secretary Jens
Stoltenberg, Russia is carrying out “dangerous and escalatory actions in the
Black Sea”. This is what I wondered and what anyone with a bit of brains
questions. The dangerous actions and provocations (such as the assassination of
Yevgeny Prigozhin) that would justify an escalation have long since been
executed only the Kremlin will not be the first to push the button.
With this kind of comments
we again see the degree of cynicism that Atlanticist officials harbor when
giving their views.
Before these new
circumstances that turn the Black Sea into an active Theater of Operations,
NATO would be working with the navies of the riverine countries such as
Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey to build a task force to try to counterbalance the
situation. At first glance it is not surprising. All of them are part of NATO
and that is why there is no doubt that they have been indirectly involved in
the area for a long time, producing naval intelligence that helps Kiev to carry
out its attacks.