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[–] 10829707? 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

Yes leasing Sevastopol was coming to an end and Russia knew it, which is why it began securing permanent access to Tartus and had already long begun retrofitting Novorossiysk. Furthermore it has been in talks with at least five countries to permanently secure access to other ports. Like Novorossiysk, Sevastopol isn't all roses either, there is a huge cost both directly and indirectly in seizing Crimea and it has destabilized the region dropping the value of the port. Secondly there is a logistical problem with the Sevastopol now that undermines its strategic value as beforehand equipping and maintaining the port was done through Ukrainian territories. Lastly in terms in projecting power, that was the thinking a few years ago but we haven't really seen it, their fleet in the area is too small and expensive to really make use of it and regional players haven't really seen an uptick in naval power projection through Sevastopol.