The Sea in Russian Strategy

For the majority of the post-Cold War era, Russian maritime power has hardly featured in the Euro-Atlantic community’s thinking. But in the mid-2010s, the idea that the Russian navy poses a threat to NATO began to gain ground. It took very real form in February 2022, when Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.

This book presents the first sustained examination of Russian maritime power in the period since the Cold War. It brings together leading specialists from public policy and academia to reflect on historical and contemporary aspects of Russia's naval strategy and capacities. At a time of mounting tensions, which some observers have named the ‘Fourth Battle of the Atlantic’, the book offers an informed and nuanced discussion, taking into account the view from Moscow and how this differs from western perspectives. It sketches a trajectory of Russia’s power at sea and reflects on current capabilities and problems, as well as Moscow’s strategic planning for the future.

'As Russia continues to test global security, this excellent book provides a very timely contribution to our understanding of Moscow's maritime capability and intent. The sea has always been a crucial domain to any power with global ambition. This extremely well-considered and authoritative collection provides an informed baseline to re-examine our understanding of this critical area of warfare, test our assumptions and challenge our planning and decision making.' — Admiral Sir Tim Fraser, KCB, Vice Chief of Defence Staff, 2019-22

'This book is valuable for two reasons. Firstly, it allows us to compare the Russian strategy and shipbuilding plans described here with the real-world application of Russian strategy in Ukraine. Secondly, it reveals that while the Russian army and air force have been seriously bloodied in the Ukraine war, the bulk of the navy is more dangerous than ever, due to Kaliber land-attack cruise missiles and long-range strikes.' — Admiral James G. Foggo III, Dean of the Center for Maritime Strategy in Washington, DC and Former Commander of United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa