Black Sea Fleet: the cost of power

Sevastopol Naval Base
The ratification of the Russian-Ukrainian agreement allowing the Black Sea Fleet to remain in Sevastopol until 2042 has again raised the issue of modernizing the fleet, the cost of such an upgrade, and Russia's ability to implement it.

To address these issues, we must first understand why Russia needs the Black Sea Fleet at all. Today, the fleet has two main purposes. The first one is to control the Black Sea basin and ensure the security of Russia's southern borders. Considering the current geopolitical situation and the naval capabilities of the neighboring fleets, this mission could be performed by relatively small groups of light vessels supported by shore-based missile systems and aircraft.

But the problem is entirely different if Sevastopol is viewed as a base for the fleet's deployment in the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. In this case, the fleet must have deep-sea-going and ocean-going vessels capable of ensuring a naval presence far from Russian shores.

Read more