Israel's security and the Russian navy

What are the possible consequences of a permanent Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean? Israeli military planners have been grappling with this question since Admiral Vladimir Masorin, the commander of Russian Naval Forces, said in August: "For the Black Sea fleet, the Mediterranean has the highest strategic importance... I think a permanent presence of the Russian navy should be restored there."

Masorin's view was seconded by Admiral Eduard Baltin, the former commander of the Russian Black Sea fleet, who said: "The Soviet navy had the capability to keep a permanent naval group in the Mediterranean... Russia can now ensure a military-political presence there."

Assuming that Admiral Masorin's words represent the views of the Russian military and the Kremlin, a new and potentially destabilising factor could emerge in the Middle East in the foreseeable future.

Israeli experts say the presence of a Russian naval force, most likely based in the Syrian port of Tartus, would represent a significant strengthening of Russian intelligence gathering capabilities in the region. The Russian navy is considered to have high-quality electronic equipment capable of observing new weapons systems and intercepting communications.

Intelligence experts point to Russian President Vladimir Putin's emphasis on the importance of intelligence gathering during a meeting of top military brass on 25 July. The Israeli press has speculated the products of these efforts could be shared with the Syrian and other governments hostile to Israel in the region and, in the worst case scenario, with Iran. 244 of 875 words