International Affairs, Photo of the Yasen class Russian submarine “Kazan”, June 17th, 2024
This article from Proceedings, the journal of the United States Naval Institute, was published in 1980 and focuses on how the Soviet Union attempted to expand its global strategic influence through naval positioning, infrastructure development, and control over major sea lanes. The article explains how the USSR worked to strengthen supply chains, improve port infrastructure, and expand strategic access points throughout the world, including Latin America, by placing nations that have key interests in helping the USSR (either as allies or to pay off some form of debt). By developing and supporting ports, the Soviet Union aimed to improve its ability to project military and economic power internationally while also increasing trade opportunities with developing nations. Not only this, due to the heavy importance the Soviets placed on long-range submarines (especially of the ballistic nature) the USSR also posed key threats to naval safety of nations like the US. Therefore, the USSR didn’t just build short-term military bases to impose on the US for fear, they built long-term bases with complex reasons to as of why.
The article also highlights how control of sea lanes and access to vital resources such as oil gave the USSR significant geopolitical leverage throughout the Cold War, and by linking this to the other sources we can see how this gave the Soviets direct reasons to become trading partners with countries like Brazil. Rather than simply preparing for direct conflict, Soviet strategy focused heavily on long-term economic competition, trade influence, and logistical positioning, showing another form of that indirect military power projection that became crucial both in Soviet and Chinese military strength in areas like Latin America.
Source
Edwards, Mickey. September, 1980. “Soviet Expansion and Control of Sea Lanes.” Proceedings 106, no. 9. U.S. Naval Institute. https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1980/september/soviet-expansion-and-control-sea-lanes .