Syria to Host Russian Navy

from the August 14, 2007 eNews issue

For some time reports have circulated that Russia is planning to move its Black Sea Fleet to Syria. Russia officials initially denied the rumors. However earlier this month Admiral Vladimir Masorin, Commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy, confirmed that Russia plans to establish a permanent naval base on the Mediterranean. According to Masorin, restoring a "permanent presence" in the Mediterranean is of great "strategic importance."

For the first time since the end of the Cold War, Russia will establish naval bases in the Syrian port cities of Tartus and Latakia. Reports indicate that Moscow is planning to form a squadron led by the Moskva, the Black Sea Fleet's flagship missile cruiser. The squadron would operate in the Mediterranean Sea on a permanent basis. Russia has already began dredging at the Syrian port of Tartus where it maintains a logistical supply point. It has also launched a modernization project at the port of Latakia, located about 60 miles to the north of Tartus.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet currently uses a range of naval facilities in the Ukrainian region of Crimea. They operate in the region under a 1997 agreement that allowed Russia to continue its presence in the former Soviet republic for rent of $93 million per year. The fleet is not scheduled to withdraw until 2017. However the Ukraine has voiced concerns that Russia is not paying enough for the facilities and has demanded that a new agreement be signed. Russia says that it will not make any concessions and negotiations between Russia and the Ukraine have stalled.

Russian weapons sales have increased significantly in recent years. Russia's arms exports totaled a record breaking 8 billion dollars last year, and those numbers are expected to continue to climb even higher in 2007. Russian defense spending has been rising steadily as well, with the help of high energy prices and oil revenues. Russia has implemented an ambitious plan to update and expand its military. Russia is planning to buy new intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear submarines and possibly aircraft carriers. The Russian military will deploy 17 new inter-continental ballistic missiles this year. The missile purchases are part of a 189 billion dollar weapons modernization program.

Russia's plans have not gone unnoticed by the US and Israel. Israel in particular seems wary of this new development. Some Israeli officials have even expressed concern that Russian naval vessels will be used to spy on Israel. To learn more, click on the links below.