Q&A ยท 26:13-26:47

What Russia was doing while the Allies attacked the Dardanelles

Russian activity included the Caucasus campaign and Black Sea mining intended to obstruct Ottoman coastal coal traffic.

Question

Was Russian action coordinated with the Allied attempt to force the Dardanelles?

Short answer

Yes in the broader campaign: Russia was active in the Caucasus, and its Black Sea Fleet used mines to obstruct Ottoman coastal coal traffic.

Notes

Russia was not simply waiting for Britain and France to open the straits. Russian forces were active in the Caucasus, while the Black Sea Fleet mined coastal approaches to interfere with Ottoman coal transports. This links naval action directly to the enemy's fuel supply. The answer places the Dardanelles effort inside a wider coalition war without implying that every operation formed part of one tightly integrated plan.