Defense
While the world watches Russia’s tanks and troops, a quiet and remarkable flotilla is growing.
In this photo on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, the Russian navy’s amphibious assault ship Kaliningrad sails into the Sevastopol harbor in Crimea. | Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP
By Paul McLeary
02/10/2022 05:59 PM EST
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Over the past few weeks, Russia has pulled warships from across the globe to mass in the Black Sea and Mediterranean as part of one of the largest displays of naval firepower since the Cold War.
Russian cruisers, submarines and other warships have moved into place as Europe remains on high alert for any Russian ground movements into Ukraine from Belarus or western Russia, where over 100,000 troops have massed.
In response to the moves at sea, three NATO-ally aircraft carriers and their escorts, along with new fighter plane deployments in Eastern Europe, are keeping watch in the region, and a British aircraft carrier has been placed on alert to potentially deploy quickly.
“We haven’t seen a movement like this in recent history,” in the Black Sea, said retired Adm. James Foggo, who commanded all U.S. and NATO naval forces in Europe until retiring in 2020.