Russia’s far-reaching demands from NATO and the prospect of a war in Ukraine can seem irrational. But Russia is facing a dilemma that if they do nothing, they are on a trajectory to losing in the long term. So even if Russia isn’t sure what the outcome will be in a war, they may still try it as a tool to stop the process of losing.
Starred
Royal Navy’s Type 32 Frigate could be a revamped Type 31
Some details have emerged about Britains future Type 32 Frigate, which is supposed to be ready in the 2030s.
Download e-book: Russia’s Military Might
I wrote he naval chapter in this book on Russia’s military capabilities, where the English version is now available as a free download.
Chasing the wrong kind of misinformation: The HMS Defender case
Western journalists were so busy labeling Russian warning shots as misinformation, that they overlooked the real information deceit.
The argument that Russia’s security zones around Crimea are legal
Since HMS Defender’s recent freedom of navigation operation close to Crimea, there has been an interesting public debate about the legal aspects of innocent passage. My attention has been drawn to this article by professor Stefan Talmon where he makes the case that Russia’s suspension of this right in certain areas in the Black Sea […]
HMS Defender’s encounter with Russia’s coastguard off Crimea
Here are a few quick thoughts on yesterday’s incident where Russian ships and aircraft fired warning shots on the British destroyer HMS Defender off Crimea. This was a deliberate freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) by the Royal Navy. HMS Defender purposefully transited closer than 12 nautical miles from Crimea. This point is important to stress […]
Silo-based nuclear missiles are better than their reputation, and Stanislav Petrov did not save the world
Pavel Podvig has some interesting points on his blog about the Soviet Union’s nuclear strategy and the value of silo-based missiles. Pavel’s point is that silo-based ICBMs are much more useful than they are typically made out to be: Silo-based multiple-warhead ICBMs have a consistently bad reputation with the arms control crowd and nuclear hawks […]
Some thoughts on HMS Dragon’s FONOPS off Crimea
Last week, first deputy director of FSB and leader of Russia’s border control service Vladimir Kulishov made some noticeable comments to RIA Novosti about an incident in October 2020 involving the British destroyer HMS Dragon. The British warship crossed the territorial waters off Crimea in what must be characterized as a Freedom of Navigation Operation […]
Russia challenges international law with Black Sea prohibition zones
Analysis of Russia’s decision to close three zones in the Black Sea for foreign warships including the Kerch Strait.
Why Small Navies Prefer Warfighting over Counter-Piracy
Small navies face hard choices when forced to prioritize between tasks. This article uses Denmark’s counter-piracy effort in 2008-15 as a lens into the problem.