The recently highlighted Exercice ‘Sea Breeze,’ a joint naval exercise between Ukraine and the US, has attracted significant attention. Organized in the Black Sea, these drills demonstrate Western cooperation with Ukraine amidst its ongoing face-off with Russia. The timing of these exercises, just days after the British Royal Navy’s HMS Defender passed near Russian-annexed Crimea, is particularly notable.
Origins and Key Aspects of the Exercise
First held in 1997, ‘Sea Breeze’ is a collaboration involving NATO states and their allies located in the Black Sea region. The exercise has been conducted 21 times thus far. The latest edition in 2021 marks the largest scale in the exercise history, with up to 5,000 military personnel from more than 30 countries participating in the drills.
Intentions Behind the Exercise
‘Sea Breeze’ aims to strengthen naval and land operations while simultaneously enhancing cooperation between the participating countries. It serves as a powerful tool for conveying a unified message: maintaining stability and peace in the region is of paramount importance.
The Black Sea’s Value for Russia
Russia’s interest in the Black Sea region stems from its unique geopolitical advantages. The Black Sea location serves as an important crossroads and strategic intersection for the entire region, making access vital for all bordering and nearby states. It helps in amplifying Russia’s power projection into several neighboring regions.
Besides strategic importance, the Black Sea region plays a significant role as a transit corridor for goods and energy. Also, given its rich cultural and ethnic diversity and historical ties with Russia, the region holds intrinsic value for Russia. This explained Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, claiming waters around it as part of its territory. However, most countries do not recognize this takeover, supporting Ukraine’s territorial claims instead.
Insights on the Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal sea, part of the Atlantic Ocean, and located between Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Countries bordering the Black Sea include Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania. It’s worth highlighting that the Black Sea is the largest water body with a meromictic basin, indicating infrequent water movement between the lower and upper layers. This characteristic is responsible for its Anoxic Water — a significant absence of oxygen in the water.
