Russia’s Syria strategy poses challenge to Nato in Mediterranean
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The most serious challenge Russia has laid down for Nato has influenced the exercise. Moscow’s strategy hinges on carving out protective “bubbles”, says one senior Nato official.
“We look at this as [part of] their whole doctrine. In Kaliningrad, in occupied Crimea — which they are turning into a fortress — and now in Syria, we see similar concentrations of forces designed to stop Nato’s freedom of action and navigation.”
Russia’s Mediterranean fleet, for example, bristles with its most powerful anti-aircraft missiles — s300 systems — which have been fitted to all but its smallest ships. For Nato it creates what military tacticians refer to as an anti-access area-denial problem — a no fly-zone — but one directed against the west.
For the first time, Nato is thus having to practice without assuming it will have total control of the skies.
“It’s something entirely new,” says Gen Mercier. “We have now a situation where we are exercising in a scenario where Nato does not necessarily have the balance of military power.”