The United States swung to the Black Sea. Russian containment strategy being developed

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The reunification of Crimea with Russia, the improvement of relations with Turkey and other signs of the growth of Russian influence in the Black Sea region are seriously worried by the United States. American analysts were thinking about developing a special strategy to contain Russia in the Black Sea, using the potential of NATO countries and other US allies in the region.





Black Sea: balance of power


For at least two centuries, the Black Sea region has been a place of confrontation between Russia and competing powers. At first it was the Ottoman Empire, England and France, now it is the United States and its allies in the North Atlantic Alliance.

Cutting off Russia from the Black Sea has been the "golden dream" of the West since time immemorial. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the socialist camp, this goal was practically realized. Romania and Bulgaria, who were allies of the USSR, moved into the sphere of influence of the West, the Northern Black Sea Region from Odessa to the Crimea became part of sovereign Ukraine, the Eastern Black Sea Region came under Georgian control.

Only a piece of the Black Sea coast remained in Russia in the Krasnodar Territory with the only serious port - Novorossiysk, and the naval base in Sevastopol, which the Ukrainian authorities were planning to take from Russia. But the happy cards were confused by Euromaidan in Ukraine, which led to the return of the Crimean Peninsula to Russia. As a result, Crimea again turned into a Russian fortress, in fact, the Sea of ​​Azov was under Russian control. Naturally, such a situation could not but alert the American leadership. After all, the balance of power in the Black Sea region has changed significantly.

Another major US failure is the deterioration of relations with Turkey. After Ankara purchased Russian C-400 systems, the American leadership finally became convinced that Turkey, at least as long as Recep Erdogan was in power in it, could not be considered as a reliable ally of the United States. At least, the Turks will definitely not be at war for American interests and even even engage in the deployment of new military bases on their territory. And this circumstance has also become one of the main attacks on US positions in the Black Sea.

Now seven countries have access to the Black Sea - Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia and Abkhazia, which are not recognized by the international community. Turkey maintains neutrality in US-Russian rivalry, Ukraine and Georgia come out with sharply anti-Russian positions, Romania and Bulgaria are US allies in Eastern Europe. Accordingly, Washington can rely only on four countries of the Black Sea region.

But Georgia, as a military unit, is not of particular interest to the Americans. Ukraine is absorbed in its internal problems, plus it has an unresolved conflict in the Donbass. It remains to rely on Bulgaria and Romania. But the Bulgarians, although in the twentieth century and twice included in anti-Russian blocs - in the First World War and the Second World War, still avoided direct confrontation with the Russians. The mood of the Bulgarian elite both then and now should be separated from the general attitude of ordinary Bulgarians towards Russia and the Russian people. Remains Romania.

Thus, Washington’s fears about its future influence in the Black Sea region are quite understandable. And in these conditions, one of the most important tasks for the United States is maintaining control over Ukraine, further setting up Ukrainian society against Russia, increasing the power of the Ukrainian armed forces and deploying its own military facilities on the territory of this country.

US Strategy in the Black Sea Region


The US government analytical center RAND Corporation, which published a report on countering Russian expansion in the Black Sea, considers it necessary, first of all, to build up the military power and military capabilities of NATO countries with access to the Black Sea. The main focus of the report is on the deployment of missile and coastal defense equipment in Bulgaria and Romania, as well as on improving the military capabilities of Ukraine and Georgia as the main allies of the United States and NATO in the region.

Actually, recently the USA has already demonstrated extremely high military activity in the Black Sea direction. This was noted not so long ago by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who called Washington’s activity unprecedented since the end of the Cold War. In particular, the United States is deploying missile defense systems in Romania, does not hide its intentions to conduct military and naval exercises with Ukraine and Georgia as often as possible.



Perhaps these two countries are most interesting to the American military leadership in terms of confrontation with Russia, as they are closest to our country and have direct borders with it. At the same time, neither Ukraine nor Georgia are members of NATO. And it is very beneficial to the Americans. Indeed, in the event of aggravation of relations with Russia or even a direct armed conflict, the United States, not bound by obligations with Ukraine or Georgia, would prefer not to intervene.

Washington is also not responsible for the actions of Kiev or Tbilisi. It is very convenient to have two countries that can be used to test Russian military and political capabilities, to carry out various provocations, but at the same time do not bear any responsibility for their actions. What are the main steps the United States is taking to increase the military potential of Georgia and Ukraine?

First of all, these are constant military exercises and maneuvers in which the American army plays a key role. So, in July 2019 in Georgia, military exercises Agile Spirit 2019 took place. From the very beginning, the Georgian leadership took these exercises very seriously. So, Lieutenant General Vladimir Chachabayaya called them the next step on the path to Georgia’s entry into the North Atlantic Alliance.



The training was attended by more than three thousand troops from 13 countries, including the United States, Britain, Ukraine, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Belgium, Montenegro and Georgia itself. As you can see, the list of participants includes NATO countries and two allies of the alliance - Ukraine and Georgia.

Secondly, the United States plans as frequent as possible calls of its warships in the ports of Ukraine and Georgia. So the Americans emphasize their presence in the Black Sea. After all, the own naval forces of Ukraine and, especially, Georgia, are practically not able to withstand the Russian Black Sea the fleet. Therefore, the American leadership is considering the possibility of creating permanent US naval bases in the region.

Thirdly, the United States is financing the modernization of the Ukrainian and Georgian armies, although this is not an easy task due to the very high level of corruption in these countries. But one should not underestimate American aid either - now, more than five years after the outbreak of armed conflict in the Donbass, the Ukrainian army is already far less weak than before. It was well armed, a significant part of the officers were “run-in” during the conflict, many military personnel trained under the guidance of American instructors.

The fourth and no less important area is the information and ideological war against Russia in the Black Sea region. The United States does not skimp on financing those projects that are aimed at undermining Russian political and cultural influence.

Money is being invested in supporting anti-Russian political forces in Ukraine and Georgia, in anti-Russian media, publishing books, and adjusting courses in schools and universities. The task is to form a stable anti-Russian vector in public opinion, to set up as many Ukrainians and Georgians as possible against Russia.

In 2020, elections to local authorities are to be held in Ukraine. And in the USA, a grant is already being prepared with an initial cost of almost a million dollars to “strengthen democratic processes and support elections that meet international standards,” that is, to ensure victory in the election of pro-Western forces negatively inclined towards Russia.

The United States swung to the Black Sea. Russian containment strategy being developed


All these measures fit into the overall US strategy in the Black Sea region, the main purpose of which is to surround Russia from the south-west with a ring of hostile states towards it. To do this, isolate Moscow from Ukraine, Georgia and several other countries, as much as possible spoiling their relations with Russia.

The main obstacles to the implementation of American plans


However, the US anti-Russian strategy in the Black Sea region faces a number of obstacles. After all, each of the Black Sea countries has its own interests, often contrary to the interests of its closest neighbors, including those whom in Washington they would like to see in a single anti-Russian bloc.

For example, Romania and Ukraine have not very simple relations, which are aggravated by long-standing territorial claims (Romania considers Bessarabia and Bukovina to be its territory), and the position of Romanians as a national minority in Ukraine. Kiev has even more complicated relations with Warsaw and especially with Budapest: Hungary is the main critic of Ukrainian national politics in Europe because of the oppression of ethnic Magyars living in the Transcarpathian region.

In addition, the success of American politics in the Black Sea region depends on the position of the European Union and Turkey. Recently, the US position in Europe has noticeably shaken. France and Germany, which play a key role in the EU, no longer want to follow Washington unquestioningly. In the European Union, skepticism is growing about the American military presence in Europe, about the US actions in the Middle East, which led to a migratory attack on Europe. European countries are well aware of the negative consequences of anti-Russian sanctions on the economies of the EU countries.

As for Turkey, it also demonstrates a special relationship with Russia, constantly emphasizing their importance, and is currently distancing itself from American foreign policy. “Ritual” participation in military exercises in the Black Sea is one thing, and Turkey’s readiness for any real actions is quite another.

For Turkey, the Syrian direction is much more important now, since Ankara is trying to protect itself from the growth of the Kurdish national movement, which threatens the national interests and territorial integrity of Turkey itself. Belonging to the Crimea, the Black Sea ports, the situation in the Sea of ​​Azov - all these issues are secondary to Turkey.

And the public opinion in Turkey is very cool towards the Americans. After all, civilizational peculiarities must be taken into account: the Turks are much more in solidarity with the Afghans, Iraqis or Libyans whom the American bombed aviationthan with Washington.

Therefore, it’s very important for the United States to show that Russia supposedly poses a real threat to the Black Sea countries and only a military coalition led by Washington is able to protect their interests in front of their powerful northeastern neighbor. It is for this purpose that American propaganda sets up the countries of Eastern Europe against Russia, having achieved the greatest success in Ukraine and Georgia, less in Romania and hardly achieved it in Turkey and Bulgaria.
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  1. +2
    10 October 2019 06: 15
    The favorite policy of the arrogant Saxons is to divide and pit nations for their own benefit.
    There Biden in Ukraine that they do. And Trump is not a decree for them, but impeachment!
    1. +8
      10 October 2019 08: 48
      Russia underwhelmed the "rodents" in its time, now it has a "pro-American hornet's nest" - an "anti-Russian serpentarium" in its "soft underbelly" ..... sad
    2. +4
      10 October 2019 09: 06
      Quote from Uncle Lee
      The favorite policy of the arrogant Saxons is to divide and pit nations for their own benefit.

      This principle "divide et impera" - "divide and rule", they say, sounded like a maxim of the policy of the Roman Empire.
      But against the policies of these, as they are there, arrogant Saxons have a good tool - a refrigerator. The trouble with the Yankees is that they roughly repeat the methods of the USSR, which fed and armed half-Africa and fed the countries of the Warsaw block.
      And the states by the 70th year also began to slowly bend.
      But they found a magic wand - they untied the dollar from gold and began to print it in their own interests, and their "paper treasures", treasures (Treasures), at first, they all began to be bought up like hot cakes. Treasury yields were substantial at the time.

      Now, there is a clear course for many countries to decouple the dollar (and, as a result, refuse to buy treasury), since they began to use it as an instrument of pressure. Those. US budget financing is declining.
      And if Russia says that economic relations with unfriendly countries will not be supported, and in the USA’s henchmen on the borders with Russia there are only economic losers, then either the USA will have to provide these Russophobes, or the people will send their rulers. And in understanding this (empty refrigerator) they need help.

      It seems that this very principle is now being secretly applied in relation to Georgia and the Tribaltic "tigers". And some are already starting to cut through. Bulgarians, for example, scratch their turnips and bite their lip babbling: "Maybe you have another stream?"
  2. +13
    10 October 2019 06: 26
    Dear author, did not say that in the 2013 year, the United States planned to create its own naval base in Crimea. The Maidan was to lead to the ousting of the Russian fleet from the Crimea and the legalization of Americans there. If this plan were implemented, then Russia would have completely lost control of the Black Sea. In fact, they had only one move to do - and that’s it, checkmate. But it did not work out. Hence, such fierce hysteria, sanctions, etc. Now they are creating their own Navy headquarters in Odessa, trying to slow down Bulgaria and Romania so that they participate in exercises and anti-Russian actions. But these states have their own interests. But Ukraine and Georgia can agree to any adventure proposed by the United States. The Americans are counting on this.
    1. +7
      10 October 2019 06: 48
      Quote: Vadim T.
      But Ukraine and Georgia may agree to any adventure proposed by the United States


      in this case, in addition to verbal Russophobia, the United States was left with Ukraine alone, while Georgia still cannot be painfully forgotten as their ultra-modern army, which everyone from young to gray-haired people was proud of, for a few days in 2008 torn to shreds by the "rusty" Russian army.
      It’s one thing from afar to bark at Russia from afar and another thing to go and commit suicide about Russia. By the way, I advise you to recall NATO’s reaction to the country included in their bloc when Erdogan shot down a Russian plane and rushed towards them in search of protection. .
      1. +1
        10 October 2019 07: 07
        Quote: lopvlad
        By the way, I advise you to recall the reaction of NATO towards the country included in their bloc when Erdogan shot down a Russian plane and rushed to them in search of protection. They told him that they say Turkey’s problems.

        Erdogan was sure that in a day, our army would be in Istanbul. here and reconfigured.
        1. +3
          10 October 2019 07: 21
          Well, he ran to those who urged him to bring down this very plane in search of protection. But he was refused, just as recently as the Kurds, of whom Erdogan now makes a mince.
        2. +1
          10 October 2019 18: 27
          Quote: Aerodrome
          Erdogan was sure that in a day, our army will be in Istanbul

          If he was sure of it, he wouldn’t bring down a plane
  3. +3
    10 October 2019 06: 56
    I do not know on the basis of what materials the author wrote this article, but it feels like it was written within the "framework" of TV propaganda programs that set the teeth on edge. The United States now has two "strong points" in the Black Sea region - Romania and Bulgaria, and Turkey is still fulfilling its NATO obligations. But the strengthening of military influence at the expense of Georgia and Ukraine is a far-fetched statement. The territories of both states are zones of "instability", which historically, in Russia's confrontations with the west or southeast, territories that have changed their "political orientation" towards the stronger side. And among the population of Ukraine and Georgia there has always been a significant part of people who have traditionally been on the side of Russia. In the United States, the military analytical centers are not "experts" from the previously mentioned TV shows, but whose specialists should not be underestimated. After the reunification of Crimea with Russia, the United States lost its last hope of being the mistress of the Black Sea. In order to divert the forces of the Russian Federation, the Americans are now compelled not to strengthen their military might in this region, but to support with all their might the "hotbeds of instability" and to focus only on one country - Romania. Bulgaria does not count - there are a lot of apartments on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria bought by citizens of the Russian Federation - just kidding !!!!
  4. +4
    10 October 2019 07: 09
    While the minke whales print, without stopping, they will carry on their strategy, implement it! As soon as the machine shuts up, their whole strategy will go to pieces!
    In short, do not survive this wait !!! because both our and our allies, as it were, are interested in it!
    In short, "bees" will not buzz against "honey"!
  5. 0
    10 October 2019 09: 32
    And the public opinion in Turkey is very cool towards the Americans. After all, civilizational peculiarities must be taken into account: the Turks are much more in solidarity with the Afghans, Iraqis or Libyans who were bombed by American aircraft than with Washington
    ... Only now the Yankos realized that the Turks, like all other Arab countries, dislike them, and even more so their presence, and Turkey and Russia are the main players on the Black Sea, and the rest of the limitrophes are just outsiders. So the US interests in the Black Sea region, the Turkish Straits and the Northern Mediterranean can fly over them "like a basin over a bathhouse" and now they have one goal somewhere and somehow to gain a foothold in this region (mainly). And here for the Anglo-Saxons, as always, any methods will go up to military intervention "Rule Britain, rule the seas."
  6. +2
    10 October 2019 09: 56
    Mattresses along the way were overly carried away by the process of how to spoil Russia more. While they are carried away by this "fun", somewhere on the other side of the world China has grown up, both economically and militarily, which in the Asia-Pacific region will soon pinch much more American interests than in the Black Sea.
  7. 0
    10 October 2019 10: 04
    The author, in an attempt to present Turkey as whiter and fluffier, hesitated to write about the repeated statements of the Turks that they would never recognize Crimea as Russian. And this is not a trifle, this stroke somewhat changes the painted picture of anxiety in the next direction.
  8. 0
    10 October 2019 10: 20
    "Cutting Russia off from the Black Sea has been the West's golden dream since time immemorial." - since when exactly?)))
  9. +2
    10 October 2019 11: 19
    It is for this purpose that American propaganda sets up the countries of Eastern Europe against Russia, having achieved the greatest success in Ukraine and Georgia, less so in Romania and almost not achieving it in Turkey and Bulgaria.

    As for Bulgaria, that's for sure. The regular polls conducted by different agencies show the same picture. Unpleasant for the USA, but a fact.

    The Bulgarian authorities are forced to ponder overwhelming sentiment in the country. As a result, several years ago, Bulgaria refused to accept the American missile defense system on its territory, and the Bulgarians categorically refused to participate in the then-formed anti-Russian Black Sea flotilla under the auspices of NATO, thus burying the entire project.
    1. 0
      11 October 2019 01: 07
      It’s sad that there are more Istanbul and Istanbul authorities than Dimitrov and Zhivkovs (nothing personal) ... Alyosha was not repainted in pink, and thanks for that.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DW8rgMLvIs
      1. 0
        11 October 2019 09: 13
        All countries have their own specifics. Nowhere is the society homogeneous. Paid marginal people can spray some inscriptions at night, while other people clean and arrange flowers. For your information - in 2019, the BG government removed 250 thousand. euros for the improvement of the park where the monument to Alyosha / "Bunardzhika" hill / is located. So, the situation is far from what it is shown in some disinformation media ... hi
        1. 0
          12 October 2019 10: 51
          Boyan, I’m not in reproach, Tolbukhin was not following orders in the Balkans. The words of Dostoevsky are prophetic. No offense.
          1. 0
            12 October 2019 18: 44
            Glory, we are not in the subject, so in a nutshell ... 1. Tolbukhin did not lose a single soldier with us. I can show in the photo from the archives who is marching in the ranks of the commanders of the III-Ukrainian front to the Victory Parade in Moscow ... 2. Dostoevsky sees things from the point of view of the interests of the empire. This is where we disperse radically ... no offense.
            1. 0
              13 October 2019 01: 52
              On September 4, 1944, the Germans surrounded and captured the headquarters of the 1st Bulgarian Corps, and also surrounded the Bulgarian regiment in Bitola and presented an ultimatum to the command of the regiment demanding the surrender of weapons. The regiment commander Colonel Drensky did not dare to give the order to engage in battle with the Germans - he gathered officers, freed them from the oath and shot himself. After that, the Germans disarmed the regiment.

              Peter Iliev. In the wolf den. Memories (translated from Bulgarian). M., Military Publishing, 1970. p. 244
              Not Stalingrad, in short ...
              1. 0
                13 October 2019 11: 26
                Sorry, but where is the case for the static under which we write - "The United States has swung at the Black Sea. A strategy for containing Russia is being developed." ? request
                1. 0
                  13 October 2019 13: 42
                  and the future is done yesterday, sorry too ...
  10. 0
    10 October 2019 15: 01
    The bad thing is that the fifth column, and not the fifth, but the tenth inside the country, inside the government, inside the presidential administration and many many ... work for the enemies of Russia and Russians openly, not being afraid of the consequences. They swore allegiance to the Queen and the American flag, obtaining a second citizenship. They are on the hook of the US Treasury with their stolen millions and billions, which means potential agents of the CIA, the Pentagon. The Foreign Ministry does not respond to outright rudeness and insults to all Russians. What they can do is release Maria Vladimirovna to the microphone ...
    Well, what kind of oligarch will allow the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and even the President himself to quarrel with the owners of their money in the USA and London City.
    And the Black Sea ...
    "Ay, Greek sail!
    Ay Black Sea!
    Ay Black Sea! ..
    Thief on a thief! ...
    ... The twelfth hour -
    Caution time.
    Three border guards
    Wind and darkness.
    Three border guards
    Six eyes -
    Six eyes
    Yes, a motor launch ... "(Eduard Bagritsky)
  11. 0
    11 October 2019 06: 25
    No matter how powerful the USA may be economically, but the pressure on the countries of almost the entire planet is not in vain, their positions are weakening. And in Europe itself they see the true state of affairs. And the dollar is no longer saving.
    And Crimea is needed as a base in the southern underbelly of the Russian Federation, controlling several regions

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