The confused aftermath of the Åland action challenges dismissive views of the Imperial Russian Navy. Russian forces were capable enough that Germany repeatedly had to concentrate ships in the Baltic rather than treating it as a secondary backwater. British attempts to reinforce the Russians added pressure and further complicated German planning. Those commitments reduced what Germany could attempt in the North Sea. A fleet can shape a war by compelling attention and dispersing enemy resources even without winning a decisive battle.
Notable Point · 24:42-25:27
Why the Russian Baltic Fleet could not be ignored
The Åland fighting illustrates how Russian and British pressure in the Baltic diverted German ships from other theatres.