After the announcement by Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of the departure from the port of Severomorsk, north of Murmansk, it is now already up to the Norwegian coast. Straight line towards the Strait of Gibraltar to enter the Mediterranean. Estimated time: a week, more or less. The Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov, the second of its class after the Admiral Kasatonon, already sailing in the Mare Nostrum, is awaited with the utmost attention by the NATO military presence in the area. Americans, French and Italians in total symbiosis. With a joint structure, first of all naval, but also air, but above all equipped to exchange information in real time. Permanent sharing, continuous interaction.
Zircon missiles: 9 thousand km/h speed
Gorshkov, unlike Kasatonon, is equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles. With amazing performance: capable of traveling at very high speeds, exceeding 9,000 kilometers per hour; to attack targets, naval or land, from very high altitudes, up to 40 thousand meters. In the progress of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, not exactly exciting for Moscow, the sending of Gorshkov is thus a sort of muscular exhibition. Sign of power, of ostentatious, hypertrophic strength. But the Atlantic Alliance is certainly not intimidated. The Russian frigate followed closely. Since its departure from the Russian shores.
NATO posture
The idea of launching a Zircon hypersonic missile in the Mediterranean is almost purely theoretical. If the Russians really decide to press the button, an immediate, explosive, large-scale confrontation will ensue. Without limits, with the NATO device at its maximum offensive capacity, ready for this apocalyptic scenario. Hypothesis, however, theoretical, but not for this reason devoid of concreteness and practical actions considered if they were to be translated into concrete facts. Of course, from the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, but also before, the Gorshkov is under special surveillance by NATO. Every move, position or action followed to the millimeter by the French, Americans and Italians.
In the Mare Nostrum a dozen Russian ships
There are already about ten Moscow naval units in the Mediterranean. Admiral Kasatonon has carried out various activities at sea operating from the Tartous base in Syria. The growing Russian presence in the Mediterranean since the end of 2021, in quantitative and qualitative terms, has been repeatedly reported by the Chief of Defense Staff, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone. Confirmed by the Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral Enrico Credendino: he has repeatedly underlined the need to increase the sea activities of our fleet to provide adequate support to the Alliance in the surveillance of the Mediterranean.
The threat to strategic infrastructure
In these hours, in the ballet of announcements from Moscow for a truce that has proved to be at least ambiguous, the arrival of Gorshkov is a strategic card placed in Putin’s war communication. The Russian ships also operate close to the Italian coasts: in this way they can keep an eye on the now stable US aircraft carrier group in the area, mainly between the Adriatic and the Ionian. As it happens, the areas of operation of the naval units of Moscow often end up overlapping the submarine routes of the strategic energy and telecommunications infrastructures: gas pipelines, oil pipelines, telematic and electric cables.
