A Russian naval base within the European Union

Russian warships gets supplies in the harbour of Limassol in Cyprus.

As the situation in Syria gets worst by the day, the Russians can not be sure to keep their naval base in Syria, the Tartus base.


For many years the Tartus facility was the only harbour in the Mediterranian where Russian warships can get supplies and have technical maintenance work on the ships done. 

In the harbor of Limassol 3 Russian warships was seen at the same day just a month ago, that is in June 2013.
The Russian warships have regularly used the Limassol harbor to get new supplies of food, drinking water and fuel.

According to Pravda, Putin wants 10 warships in the Mediterranian, this means he will want at least one friendly harbor in the same sea.
It is far to go back home to the Black Sea, to far. 

Observations from May 2013 meantions 12 Russian warships present in the same Mediterranian. 
For the moment the Limassol harbour is the best bet, for Putin, as he is looking for a safe harbour.

It is a bit surprising that the Russian Navy seems the have established a naval base inside the European Union.
Of course there are old strong bonds between Russia and Cyprus, these bonds go way back.

Talking about bonds, there are also some not so old bonds between Cypus and Russia.
Cyprus borrowed € 2500 millions in 2011, the interest was at that time 4,5 %.
Since then Russia lowered the interest to 2,5 %,
Something for something. 

On such a big loan, lowering the interest by 2%, is the same as lowering the cost of this big loan with 50 million Euros every year.
A very welcome supplement to a troubled Cyprus. 

Russian Defense Ministry announced in June 2013, that "Tartus continius to be a official naval base for Russian ships in the Mediterranean. 

But it is very wise to have a Plan B.