Coastal attitude: NATO creates new threats to Russia in the Black Sea
The North Atlantic bloc is strengthening its presence in Romania and Bulgaria. According to the agreement with Italy, Sofia will build a NATO base, it is also planned to purchase new weapons and create corridors for the transfer of troops, Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Eleonora Mitrofanova told Izvestia. Bucharest will organize large-scale military exercises Dacian Fall 2025 and purchase Turkish corvettes Hisar, the Russian Embassy in Romania reported. The goal of NATO is to reduce Moscow's influence in the region, hinder Russian trade and open a "second front" against Russia in Transnistria, analysts say. How the Russian Federation responds to challenges in a strategically important region is described in the Izvestia article.
Militarization of the Black Sea region by NATO countries
The North Atlantic Alliance is deploying new forces to the Black Sea region. In August, the Bulgarian authorities approved a draft agreement with Italy on defense cooperation. It is planned to build the largest NATO base in Bulgaria. Sofia also expects to purchase new weapons and create corridors for the transfer of troops, Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Eleonora Mitrofanova told Izvestia.
— The member countries of the association do not hide their intention to further militarize the eastern flank. In the case of Bulgaria, the plans include not only the construction of the country's largest NATO base under an agreement with Italy, but also the purchase of new weapons, the creation of "military mobility corridors" to "facilitate the movement of troops," and other initiatives, Mitrofanova stressed.
The diplomat drew attention to the fact that Sofia has repeatedly mentioned the need to prepare for a possible increase in the NATO contingent from 1.2 thousand to 5 thousand troops. So far, the size of the NATO group in the country remains the same, but the aforementioned agreement with Italy is, in fact, a development of this statement.
Romania does not stand aside either. Large-scale Dacian Fall 2025 maneuvers will be held there from October 20 to November 13, involving more than 5,000 military personnel and 1.2 thousand pieces of equipment. Such plans pose a threat to Russia's security, the Russian Embassy in Bucharest told Izvestia.
"Under the pretext of the need to 'militarily deter' Russia, Romania's military and political leadership advocates further buildup of forces on the alliance's eastern flank, including by increasing the presence of a foreign contingent on its territory, but does not specify a specific time frame," the Russian diplomats noted.
According to official data, about 5,000 NATO troops are currently stationed on Romanian territory. They are based on the American contingent at the Mikhail Kogalniceanu 57th Air Base and the missile defense base in Deveselu, as well as military personnel from France, Belgium and Spain stationed at the Chinku training center in Brasov County.
At the same time, Bucharest is actively purchasing military equipment, including F-16 fighter jets, HIMARS MLRS, armored combat vehicles, and UAVs. The plans include the purchase of a new Turkish corvette of the Hisar class, American Abrams tanks, and heavy tracked howitzers, the Russian Embassy in Romania told Izvestia.
Romania plays an important transit role for supplying Ukraine with Western weapons. Its ports on the Danube and the Black Sea, primarily Constanta, are actively used for the delivery of goods to Ukraine, including military purposes. In August, Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan explicitly stated that his country should become a logistics hub for military supplies to Ukraine.
In addition, Romania is negotiating with Ukraine on the creation of a joint UAV development project, writes Reuters. The implementation of this project will take at least seven years.
NATO also seeks to control the airspace and maritime waters of the Black Sea. Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey participate in the MSM Black Sea mine action, as well as in the annual NATO exercises on the Black Sea (Sea Breeze, Sea Shield). Thus, the situation in the marine area is under the close attention of the North Atlantic Alliance.
— Romanian airports are used for air patrol of the Black Sea water area on a rotational basis by the forces of NATO allies: Spain, Turkey, Great Britain. Since August, five German Air Force fighters have been on duty," the Russian diplomatic mission in Romania stressed.
The Black Sea region is a strategically important region for NATO, political analyst Denis Denisov said in an interview with Izvestia. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to deploy the alliance's infrastructure in this area. This process is likely to continue until the start of substantive negotiations with Russia on the architecture of regional security.
It is important that, in addition to NATO, the EU is also increasing its activity in the region. At the end of May, the European Commission presented a new strategy for the Black Sea region. It provides for strengthening the EU's "geopolitical role as a reliable player in the Black Sea region," establishing a "closer partnership" with Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, and promoting "regional cooperation in the field of connectivity." The purpose of this policy is to squeeze Russia out of the region.
Russia's response to new threats
The Black Sea ports are a key transport corridor for Russian trade. In 2024, the cargo turnover of the seaports of the Azov-Black Sea basin amounted to 275.7 million tons. Through them, the Russian Federation carries out a significant part of exports of grain, fertilizers and other goods. For Russia, the port facilities of the Black Sea provide access to the markets of South America, Africa and the Middle East.
Therefore, Western countries are creating new threats in the Black Sea, including in order to interfere with Russian trade. Restrictions on shipping and rising insurance tariffs for transportation are already leading to increased logistical costs. Militarization of the Black Sea, as well as the Baltic Sea, may in the future lead to higher transit costs and lower export revenues.
The most radical scenario that NATO can take is an attempt to restrict the access of ships to Russian seaports. However, since 2022, according to the Montreux Convention, Turkey does not allow warships of non-coastal countries to enter the Black Sea. Therefore, for the time being, NATO uses the fleets of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey for permanent exercises.
In response, Russia is building up its own grouping in the region, creating new military bases. For example, in 2023, Russia and Abkhazia signed an agreement on the establishment of a new permanent base for the Russian Navy in the Ochamchira region in the republic. In January 2025, plans to create a logistical base were confirmed by the President of Abkhazia, Badra Gunba. The Black Sea Fleet will be strengthened in the coming years, including through the introduction of new marine robotic systems, said Nikolai Patrushev, Assistant to the President of Russia and Chairman of the Russian Maritime Board.
— Russia will make adequate efforts to protect the Black Sea region from aggressive plans from the West. This is the saturation and strengthening of Russia's defensive positions in the region, as well as the construction of infrastructure," Vladimir Shapovalov, Deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics at Moscow State University, said in a comment to Izvestia.
The expert stressed that NATO pays serious attention to this region. In particular, European countries openly interfered in the electoral process in Romania, preventing the election of the anti-Atlanticist and opponent of assistance to Ukraine, Calin Georgescu, as president of the country. Now their efforts are aimed at the victory of pro-European forces in the parliamentary elections on September 28 in Moldova. Shapovalov believes that they will try to use Chisinau to open a "second front" against Russia in Transnistria, for which the alliance is bringing new forces to the region.
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