According to the Russian Navy’s Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Vladimir Vysotskiy, “In the conflict in August [2008], a ship like that would have allowed the Black Sea Fleet to accomplish its mission in 40 minutes, not 26 hours which is how long it took us [to land the troops ashore]” (EDM, September 18, 2009). Had that landing succeeded, Russia would have opened a second front, moving into Georgia from the west while the main Russian force was attacking in the east.

With Mistral-class ships, Russia’s Baltic or Black Sea Fleet would gain the ability to land troops onshore quickly and seize coastal footholds during war. This threat (whether carried out or not) could pressure a target country from the direction of the sea, adding to the pressure along the land border. Thus, Russia could compel small, thinly defended countries to divide meager resources between land and coastal defense. Moscow can also position to use these tactics in peacetime, short of any crisis, by adding Mistral-class ships to its Baltic or Black Sea Fleet. In that case, NATO and the US would be called upon to strengthen the defense capacities of their exposed allies.

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