The Black Sea – Russia's Obsession

Abstract

For centuries, Russia, whether imperialist or republican, has been obsessed with turning the Black Sea into a Russian lake that it can control according to its interests, thus coming into conflict either with the great powers keen to maintain the balance of power, or with the riparian states that see their sovereignty threatened. It officially collaborated with the great powers in order to maintain European harmony (first half of the 19th century), but secretly encouraged the rebellions of the Balkan populations against the Ottoman Empire with the aim of gaining as many territorial advantages as possible from its collapse and, above all, control of the Straits. It supported the modernization of the Romanian Principalities (through the Organic Regulations) but did everything possible to delay their implementation because its intention was to transform them into governorates and to accustom Romanians and Europeans to their presence in these lands. It agreed to the terms of the Montreux Convention on the regime of the Straits (1936), but then exerted "shameless" pressure on Turkey to recognize its control powers on an equal footing with Turkey, and even to build military bases on Turkish territory, ultimately accelerating Turkey's accession to NATO. It took over Ukraine's arsenal (2,800-4,200) of tactical nuclear weapons (1991) with the agreement of the US, which was told that there was "a lack of control and a threat of nuclear terrorism" and then invaded everything "without shame..." Crimea in 2014 and Ukraine in 2022. The maritime obsession of this Empire of Evil, which tramples on territories, populations, and principles of international law, may end like some obsessions do: in fiasco.