Under the constant arching fire of the United States and the self-seeking death of Ukraine, Russia finally could not hold back and moved the real guys.
According to some sources, Russian troops have landed in the port of Odessa. After Crimea was swept away by Russia, Odessa was the only real port in Ukraine, the Sea of Azov was like a lake controlled by Russia, and Ukrainian ports were equal to none.
Odessa is Ukraine's only vent, and if this vent is blocked by Russia, Ukraine can only become a de facto landlocked country. Whether it is for Ukraine or Russia, Odessa is too important. When Ukraine controls Odessa, the United States and NATO can aid Ukraine through the Turkish Strait (Bosphorus and Dardanelles), which are only about six hundred kilometers between the two places. If the United States can influence Odessa, it will be very unfavorable to Russia's control of the Crimean Peninsula.
If Russia controlled Odessa, it would be able to block Ukraine's sea lanes and build a firewall for the United States.
The history of Ukraine and Russia is entangled, and Russia actually has a deep historical feeling for many Ukrainian cities, including Odessa.
In the early days of Russian history, it was not a coastal state on the Black Sea. But Russia has a firm historical conviction that it is desperate to look outward for access to the ocean. To the northwest, Russia passes through St. Petersburg into the Gulf of Finland, the Baltic Sea. To the southwest, Russia's strategic goal was to capture Crimea, then controlled by Ottoman Turkey. The greatest empress in Russian history, Catherine II, fulfilled this great historical mission for Russia. In 1783, Russia took not only the Crimean Peninsula, but eleven years later, on September 2, 1794, Russia took Odessa, known as the Pearl of the Black Sea.
The location of Odessa is excellent. Odessa is located in the lowlands of the Black Sea coast, and the land here is very fertile, almost sprinkled with beans into gold. It is very close to the Transnistria river and the mouth of the Danube is not far from Odessa. Russia does not lack black land, lacks good ports, and Odessa is just right for Russia to effectively control the Black Sea. From Russia's point of view, to control the Black Sea, the Crimean Peninsula hanging directly above the Black Sea is the best choice. But in the isolated sea of the Crimean Peninsula, the eastern and western wings must be effectively guaranteed. The Eastern Front is fine, Russia-controlled Rostov and the North Caucasus, but the Western Front is most able to defend the Crimean Peninsula with Odessa.
Another point is that Odessa is basically at the northeast tip of the Balkan Peninsula, which is also an important land and sea route for Russia to enter the Balkan Peninsula.
Compared to the cold and relatively remote Baltic Sea, the Black Sea has warmer latitudes and is closer to the Mediterranean Sea between the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa. In Russia's thirst for the sea, the Mediterranean Sea is one of the priorities, and if Russia can control the Mediterranean, it will basically seal off the European continent, and the whole of Europe will be controlled by Russia. Therefore, the logical progression of the layers gives Odessa a very important place in Russia's maritime strategy. When Russia first got Odessa, the city was not yet formed, and the population was only more than three thousand. In less than 20 years, the population of Odessa has more than sixfold. More than seventy years later, in 1897, the population of Odessa had grown to 600,000 people. Although the Russians account for only 40% of them, but the military power is firmly in the hands of Russia, then the city belongs to Russia.
Although Odessa no longer belongs to Russia, Russians have a very strong affection for Odessa, just as the chinese people can never forget Vladivostok and Sakhalin Island. However, Shu Han wanted to unite with Eastern Wu to resist Wei, and the matter of Jingzhou could not be mentioned for the time being. As Deng Zhi said, once Wei was destroyed, Shu Wu was bound to go to war. The reason is clear, just don't say it. How could Shu Han forget the shame of losing Jingzhou and the hatred of Yiling?
The United States is aggressive and will want to disintegrate Russia and then quickly. The responsibility for this conflict in Ukraine is not russia, but mainly provoked by the United States out of strategic self-interest.