History of the Russian Navy

Russian naval strategists have long emphasized the importance of naval history in shaping both the Russian and Soviet navies, as well as contemporary Russian naval strategy. Strategically, the Russian Navy has always faced two overarching issues: securing access to the high seas through warm water ports and the reality of a vast land mass that separates the various seas to which Russia has tried to gain access.

Source: Wikipedia — History of the Russian Navy (CC BY-SA 4.0)