Russia says jet shot down near Turkey-Syria border

[muriel_volestrangler]

126. A military historian points out Putin needs to send his fuel via the Straits

There's Not Much Putin Can Do About This Turkey Situation

But Putin is up against a wall, and frankly, I do not know where he may go. See, his whole "military" campaign in Syria is based out of one naval base and one airport in northwest Syria.

Investigative reporters are repeatedly reminded three words: "Follow the money." Always good advice. But military strategists also have a similar saying: "Tactics wins battles, but logistics wins wars." So how does this apply to Putin and his efforts in a place that does not immediately adjoin his own borders?

Well, yeah, he can provide food and armaments to those bases he has in Syria via airlift. That is possible, given the fairly small amount required to support Russia's really limited forces in Syria, and even what they bring in to support Assad. But there is one immutable thing about Putin's Russian forces in Syria, one that they can't avoid. They need fuel. This is an issue, why? Because to supply the amount of fuel needed by an air campaign requires more than just an airlift. It has to come via sea. Getting fuel from Russia itself to the Russian bases on the coast of Syria involves getting from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. Bit of a problem that, since that means going through the Dardanelles. Turkey, in short, owns Russia on that count. Unless Russia wants to start a shooting war with all of NATO.

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a39974/turkey-russia-fighter-plane/

Technically, he could send it out of St. Petersburg and all the way round Europe, though that will get frozen in soon, I think (or via Kaliningrad, perhaps? Ice-free all year round, according to Wikipedia). But not exactly convenient.