Success against the Dutch and Spanish encouraged Pitt to pressure Catherine the Great over Ochakov, but Russia posed a different strategic problem. His concern was partly shaped by the earlier Armed Neutrality and the trouble it had caused Britain. Russia's scale, climate, and limited maritime exposure meant that naval mobilization alone could not create decisive leverage. Sea power could exert diplomatic pressure only where a fleet could credibly threaten something the opponent valued.
Notable Point · 24:53-26:46
Why Pitt's naval pressure failed against Russia
The Ochakov crisis exposed the limits of naval coercion against Russia, whose size and limited maritime exposure left the Royal Navy with little direct leverage.