Russia seeks ports usable throughout the year with access to the world's oceans. A Black Sea outlet still leaves ships dependent on passage through Ottoman waters and further exits from the Mediterranean. Suez and Gibraltar demonstrate how several chokepoints can constrain ocean access. Competition over Persia extends the struggle for routes and spheres of influence towards the Indian Ocean. These geographical constraints help explain British resistance to Russian expansion.
Chapter · 31:09-32:35
Russian access to open oceans and the problem of chokepoints
Russia's search for year-round ocean access is contrasted with the obstacles between the Black Sea and the open Atlantic or Indian Ocean.