Since the beginning of 2008, Russia has begun to escalate its military presence in the Mediterranean Sea. Observers from several countries are unanimous in their opinion that Russia's strategic positioning marks their return to the old, Cold-War stance of the Soviet Union days.
The Russian Navy, after having sunk into disrepair, is rapidly being rebuilt, and the Russians seem eager for the world to know that once again, they are a blue-water force to be reckoned with.
A DEBKAfile report, dated January 18, 2008, reports on Russian war games in the area: "Russia has drawn eleven warships from its Black Sea and Atlantic Northwest fleets for a joint war game in the Mediterranean to underline its drive for a naval presence in all the world's seas and oceans. They will rendezvous off Malta Tuesday, Jan. 15. The flagship Moskva (Moscow) is on its way from Sevastopol.
"DEBKAfile's military sources report: Air carrier Admiral Kutznetsov is on current missions in the Mediterranean, escorted by four ships, including the large anti-submarine Admiral Levchenko and the command and supply ship Sergei Osipov. On its decks are 47 Su-33 fighter-bombers and 10 helicopters.
"Dmitry Medvedev, President Vladimir Putin's chosen successor, said Friday, Jan. 11: "Russia must restore sea power." Speaking at the giant Russian Barents Sea base of Murmansk, he commented: "The Soviet Union's naval might commanded respect – I won't say feared, but respected."
Without a doubt, Medvedev wants the new Russian fleet to rise to the level of fear, particularly in the arena of the Middle East. Apparently, the current exercises are part of the propaganda drive, designed to boost the Russian presence there.
Nor is it an accident that the Russian fleet is operating out of two Syrian seaports on the Mediterranean coast, just north of Lebanon. Tartous and Latakia are deep-water ports that allow heavy war materiel to be directly off loaded onto railways leading to major Syrian and Iraqi cities.
These recent maneuvers also brought a major Russian flotilla into the port of Tripoli, Libya. The current exercises are scheduled to continue for 71 days, and will utilize eleven major seaports, involving six countries. All this coincides with Russia's recent crash program to arm Syria with modern weaponry, including rockets, tanks, planes and high-tech electronic equipment.
A February 25th report from DEBKAfile reveals yet another classic Russian ploy. Owing to an act of nature, the Russians were recently caught red-handed in a spy exercise:
"DEBKAfile's military sources reveal that the Russian Amur 1 Class PM 138 naval boat, caught up in the heavy storm raging across the Middle East and Mediterranean last week, flashed a distress signal Tuesday Feb. 19. The vessel was on its way from a Syrian port to Sevastopol on the Black Sea when it was thrown off course by the high seas. A Greek Navy frigate responded to the call and escorted the PM 138 to the (Greek) island of Chios.
"The Russian Navy spokesmen said the ship's crew numbered 99. It was unarmed and was heading for home port after a long stay at one of the Syrian Navy's Mediterranean bases.
"Certain facts were accidentally disclosed as a result effect of the storm, DEBKAfile's military sources point out:
Russian naval vessels are spending long periods running into months at the Syrian military bases of Latakia and Tartous.
Witnesses in Greece say the vessel, described officially as an auxiliary repair craft, boasted an unusual number of antennas for gathering intelligence. Its mission was clearly to gather information on Israeli military and naval movements while cruising opposite the Israeli coast."
These observations add a new dimension to Syria's recent furious efforts to arm itself for a future conflict. Numerous late reports have confirmed that Syria is rapidly acquiring rockets and advanced missiles from Russia, with Iranian backing. Intelligence sources say that Syria has set a deadline near the end of 2008 to complete its program of rapid rearmament. One of their goals is to acquire the ability to fire over a hundred rockets an hour into Israel, for long periods of time.
They are said to have three main goals. First, they want to modernize their anti-aircraft capabilities. Radar-guided surface-to-air missiles would give them the ability to stop incursions such as the recent Israeli air force attack on a top-secret Syrian nuclear facility. They now have the Russian S-300 system being operated by Russian crews in Syrian seaports.
Second, they want to acquire newly-developed anti-tank technology from Russia and other suppliers. These are improved forms of the rockets that devastated Israeli tanks during the last Lebanon war.
Third, they have made secret deals with Russia that will allow them to develop a modern ballistic missile technology. Improved Scud B and D missiles with a range of about 250 miles, will give the Syrians the ability to target all of Israel with chemical and biological weapons.
The Israelis know only too well what lies ahead, and they, too, are preparing for war. Biblically speaking, Russia's growing involvement in the process perfectly fits the prophetic scenario.