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The Baltic Sea in Russian Strategy Development of World Civilisation in the Third for Strategic Reasons Russia Insists on Its Exclusive by Alpo Juntunen Millennium

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The Baltic Sea in Russian Strategy Development of World Civilisation in the Third for Strategic Reasons Russia Insists on Its Exclusive by Alpo Juntunen Millennium NR 4 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 DISKUSSION & DEBATT sources provide one of the major directions of fective buffer zone for Russian core areas, and The Baltic Sea in Russian Strategy development of world civilisation in the third for strategic reasons Russia insists on its exclusive by Alpo Juntunen millennium. The national policies of the major right to the northern sea route. Presidents Putin maritime powers and the majority of the world’s and Medvedev have made several public remarks nations will be implemented through independ- about the importance of the Northern Fleet in ent action and cooperation, but competition on the defence of the Russian Federation.5 the world’s oceans will be inevitable. This is why The disintegration of the USSR was detri- ocean strategy and naval policy occupy centre mental to the military. Worst hit was the navy, stage in strategic planning.4 which was reduced to a catastrophic state. The Russia considers itself a leading maritime redevelopment of the Russian navy that started power bordered by three oceans. Its national during President Putin’s reign focuses mainly on evolved from the Grand Duchy of Moscow, Rus- trol of the sea. Despite the Soviets flexing their maritime policy must look after the interests of the Northern Fleet. Development of the other sia is a superpower. Geography makes it a conti- muscles, the power of the USSR was limited the state and society from the inland waters to fleets takes place in order of importance as fol- nental nation, but for centuries Russia has striven because NATO controlled the Danish straits. the sea coasts, including the continental shelf of lows: the Black Sea Fleet, the Pacific Fleet, the to become a sea power. The nation has expanded In a conflict situation, the first objective of the the Russian Federation and its economic zones, Caspian Flotilla and the Baltic Sea Fleet. The role towards the White Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Black Warsaw Pact troops was to try and gain control territorial seas and ocean access. The national in- of the Pacific Fleet is defined by superpower pol- Sea and East Asian shores. Russians consider the of the Danish straits. The main focus of naval terests of the Russian Federation are aligned with itics and the volatile situation on the Korean pen- urge to expand as something natural and just: a policy was oceans, over which the USSR was able the maritime actions of individuals, the society insula. The development of the Black Sea Fleet great nation must have free access to oceans. Led to show its flag after building the world’s second- and the state, and are implemented through the and the Caspian Flotilla are motivated by tension by Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible, 1538–1584), Rus- largest ocean fleet, under the command of ad- nation’s maritime power. The national maritime on Russia’s southern borders.6 sia tried in vain to gain access to the Baltic Sea miral Sergey Gorshkov. The Soviet leaders con- policy must implement and defend Russian inter- As regards the global maritime policy of the via the Baltic countries and Finland. At the same sidered an ocean fleet with nuclear submarines ests on the world’s oceans and enhance Russia’s Russian Federation, the relatively small Baltic Sea time, Moscow opened a gateway to the world via an indispensable basis for power politics. The position among the leading maritime powers. plays a regional role but is not without interna- the White Sea. The northern route involved many northern Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean became The doctrine pays special attention to naval tional significance because of the nine littoral challenges and access to the Baltic Sea remained the focal points of Soviet naval policy while the warfare; the fleet is one of the main tools protect- states. The Baltic Sea is important for Russian a strategic objective, which was attained after the Baltic Sea was considered a secondary sea front.3 ing Russia’s power-political interests. The Russian trade due to its strategic sea lines of communica- Treaty of Nystad (1721) by Peter the Great. This After the disintegration of the USSR and Navy is divided into the following operational tions, its access to oceans and because it is the did not, however, satisfy him as he wanted to gain the Warsaw Pact, the situation in the Baltic area strategic units: the Northern, Pacific, Black and most peaceful area with a reduced risk of mili- access to the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, too.1 changed and Russia was forced to retreat to the Baltic Sea fleets and the Caspian Flotilla. The lo- tary conflict. Military leaders nonetheless uphold Efforts to reach these shores failed, but Peter’s easternmost end of the Gulf of Finland. How- cation, strength and tasks of each fleet are deter- the myth of the old enemies in staff exercises to legacy was to be completed when Russia gained ever, from the Russian point of view, the present mined by national maritime policy and regional maintain resistance against the Western threat. control of most of the Baltic shores after the di- situation is not as dire as before WWII. Russia needs. For example, during the Soviet period, the The main task of the Baltic Fleet is to defend the visions of Poland and the wars against Napoleon. still controls the Kaliningrad area and a longer strategic focus of the navy was in the north. Over political status and sovereignty of Russia in the Despite these conquests, Russia has struggled to strip of the northern shores of the Gulf of Fin- the decades, a network of naval bases, shipyards area, protect economic activity and prevent illegal keep control of the Baltic Sea. Difficulties have land than prior to the Moscow Peace Treaty of and training and development centres was built access. The role of NATO as a potential enemy been caused by other super powers and “small 1940. on the coasts of the Arctic Ocean and White Sea. has increased with NATO’s eastern expansion. nations” that have gained independence during Despite the territorial losses, Russia has not A strong northern navy equipped with strategic Russia has lost the defensive zone created by the Russia’s weaker periods. The Baltic Sea has al- abandoned its ocean strategy. Published in 2001, nuclear submarines is a power policy tool. The USSR after WWII, and NATO is now closer to ways been an intermediate target for Russia. The the maritime doctrine of the Russian Federation longest Russian sea coast, almost 20 000 kilome- the Russian core areas than before. The Åland Is- objective all along has been to reach the world’s is a comprehensive definition of the principles tres, is in the north. During the Cold War, both lands have gained importance as a demilitarised oceans in order to practice power politics.2 of Russian maritime policy, discussing areas the Soviet troops and the Western troops led by zone now that the Baltic nations have joined Russian influence in the Baltic Sea area peaked from international maritime law to the interests the USA were on the alert in the north because NATO. The islands are a military vacuum, which after WWII. The Soviet concept of “Baltic Sea of the Russian Federation on the world’s oceans. the missile trajectories of both parties crossed in a conflict situation will be taken advantage of – Sea of Peace” translates to absolute Soviet con- According to the doctrine, oceans and their re- the northern areas. The north is still the most ef- by the quickest and strongest strategic power. Ac- 120 121 NR 4 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 DISKUSSION & DEBATT cording to Russia, the fact that Sweden and Fin- transport in the Baltic. through comparison with that of other nations also affected by a nation’s traditions, history and land have remained outside NATO allows Rus- Russian leaders do not rely on wishful think- in the area. Russia is the only nation to have a Bal- emotional ties. St Petersburg is one of the two sia more room for manoeuvre in its Baltic Sea ing and are aware of their responsibilities in rela- tic strategy in place, derived from the maritime Russian federal cities and the largest residential policy.7 tion to the security of the Baltic Sea. To this end, doctrine and guiding Russian Baltic policy. Rus- and cultural centre in the Baltic area. It is only In the maritime doctrine, the Baltic Sea is first they are purposefully developing both the Army sians know what they want from the Baltic Sea. now starting to regain its former glory and over- and foremost defined as a transport route, and and the Baltic Fleet. The current manpower of Other nations have not drafted similar strategies, come the degradation caused by Bolshevism. In special emphasis is placed on the development the Baltic Fleet is approximately 20 000 (August even though many of them have associations or the autumn of 2007, the Speaker of the State of port infrastructures. Over the past decade, 2010). The fleet has been systematically renewed institutions which focus on the Baltic Sea. The Duma, Boris Gryzlov, stated to Defence Min- Russia has constructed numerous new ports at over the past five years, and consists of destroy- Russian Baltic Fleet possesses more powerful ister Anatoliy Serdyukov that St Petersburg fo- the easternmost end of the Gulf of Finland, ers, corvettes, hovercraft and landing ships, mis- equipment than others, but not overwhelmingly cuses on the development of both its ports and renovated old ones and constructed infrastruc- sile and torpedo boats and submarines suitable so.
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