That said, the Russian military is now a presence to be reckoned with in the Eastern Mediterranean. The first of Catherine the Great’s wars with Turkey in 1768–1774 saw the first deployment of a Russian naval squadron to the Mediterranean. With its resources depleted and its defense establishment crumbling, Russia effectively disappeared from the Mediterranean as a naval, military, and geopolitical actor. Russia is in the Mediterranean to stay, and its determination to expand its naval, air, and land presence there will continue. 12 Michael MccGwire, “The Mediterranean and Soviet Naval Interests,” International Journal 27, no.

Source: International New York Times May 27, 2021 15:11 UTC