What Russia's Invasion of Ukraine Tells Us About the Sea

Although the maritime aspect of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine had not been prominently highlighted, the sinking of the cruiser ‘Moskva’ (or ‘Moscow’)—what a symbol—after an attack by Kiev’s forces using land-launched anti-ship missiles served to bring this angle of the largest conflict in decades in Europe to the forefront, the repercussions of which will be felt far beyond. Here are some notes for Maritime Month.

One thing that is becoming abundantly clear is that the stability of various maritime spaces is fundamental to maintaining the international rules-based order, or what remains of it, as naval strategist Alessio Patalano argues. Who would have thought, but today the focus is on the Black Sea, where Russia blocks Ukraine’s export ports; where Kiev—without a navy after the annexation of Crimea—successfully attacks Moscow’s vessels; and where Turkey decides to close the straits connecting the Mediterranean to the passage of new warships.

If today it is about the Black Sea, tomorrow it could be the South China Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean, or the waters surrounding the poles. Trade, natural resources, data, and people navigate through saltwater, which is where globalization truly flows.

Since no navy can control all the seas, including those of the United States and China, which are currently the largest, it is clear that alliances are more important than ever, especially with the possibility of war between states having returned.

At the end of the day, resilience, as seen in Ukraine, is a numbers game, where it always matters to add more. This can be achieved by coordinating ships to quickly increase presence in a contested area, adding firepower in case of hostilities, or sharing intelligence. Apparently, the United States confirmed the position of ‘Moskva’ to the Ukrainians, although it did not participate in the decision on what to do with that information.

The ability of a navy to quickly integrate into a coalition or disaggregate if necessary depends on its readiness to interoperate with other navies, which is achieved through naval exercises, common operational protocols, shared equipment standards, and personal knowledge among its sailors. Amid the war in Ukraine, for the first time, a U.S. aircraft carrier was placed under NATO command. This applies to both large and small navies: today I help you, and tomorrow you help me. However, this always presupposes having the capabilities to defend oneself and to complement. If one has nothing to contribute, why would they be invited?

While in the anomalous peaceful times we have experienced over the last three decades many navies focused on monitoring maritime spaces for the protection of resources and activities taking place there (both legal and illegal) or on delivering humanitarian aid in case of disasters, the current war has reminded us that the essential mission of navies is to win battles at sea, even accepting casualties and material losses.

Thus, the siren songs about peace zones and the eventual transformation of navies into coast guards have once again foundered against reality. If we had forgotten that forty years ago the ‘ARA Belgrano’ and the ‘HMS Sheffield’ were sunk in the Falklands War, today the ‘Moskva’ serves as a recent example of the sea’s influence on land affairs.