Russian Navy Deployed To Mediterranean By Putin For Syria’s ‘National Security’

The Russian navy is being deployed to the Mediterranean by Russian president Putin for national security reasons.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the deployment of the Russian navy was preceded by Russian nuclear submarines being sent to the southern hemisphere.

The Russian navy deployment is intended to “fulfill the tasks of strategic deterrence” for Russia. It isn’t entirely clear who or what the Russian navy is meant to deter. But Putin’s Russian has begun making antagonistic moves lately, including sending Russian anti-air missiles to Syria’s government when the United States is publicly backing the Syrian rebels.

The Russian navy currently has 16 ships in the Mediterranean sea. Russian General Valery Gerasimov plans to rotate Russian navy ships out and keep a permanent presence of 12 Russian ships.

The Syrian conflict is apparently behind Putin’s decision to create a permanent Russian navy presence in the Mediterranean sea. Putin claims the sea is a “strategically important region, where we have interests connected with ensuring Russia’s national security.”

The only base outside of Russia maintained by the Russian navy happens to be in Syria. But military experts say the Russian navy base in Tartus is “a rundown facility made up of a floating pier and a few aging barracks and warehouses, [which] can’t provide a sufficient backup for the permanent navy presence in the region.”

Putin also claims the Russian navy deployment should not be seen as a national security threat by anyone else:

“Resuming a permanent Russian military naval presence in the Mediterranean sea isn’t saber rattling.”

How do you think the United States should respond to the Russian navy deployment?