CIS as successor of the former Sovjet Union
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has been founded 1991 shortly after the collapse of the Sovjet Union by 11 of its former republics: Russia, Belarus,Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan,Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova. The purpose of the CIS is the cooperation on political, economic, military and security matters between the members.

In the meantime (2009) the Commonwealth is undergoing the most critical phase of its history. The governments of the Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and other member states more or less quietly are shifting towards the West (NATO partnership, etc).

Other organisations within CIS like EurAsec, CES and CSTO do have the same problems. The Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) for example since 2002 only comprises 6 members. Other alliances were established with non CIS members like the Black Sea Naval Cooperation Task Group (BLACKSEAFOR).

What I refer to on the following pages is clearly Russian dominated. I don't know the agreements between Russia and its neighbours about their facilities abroad, but it seems a constant struggle is going on (Black Sea, Caspian Flotilla, Georgia).
There are however still many agreements about Russian bases abroad and as we don't know what rope teams we will see in the future, I kept "CIS" instead of "Russian", "Ukrainian", etc. It is a fact however, that the "CIS Navy" normally reads as "Russian Navy".


The Navy as part of the Russian Forces
We may look back as far as we want, the Navy has been and still is the backbone of the Russian Forces. It is a Russian tradition to make politics with more or less help from the Navy. In all wars so far the Navy has played an important, a decisive role.
After the desintegration of the Sovjet Union a terrible era began for the glorious Navy. With no funds available many ships and facilities were rotten after a few years and the pay never arrived for Thousands of mariners.
Today (2009) this has changed very much. Russian cruisers and destroyers again sail the seas, participate in exercises and visit ports around the world looking for allies. The Navy still is only a shadow of it's own, but - the change has started. The Navy will be back in a few years and at a time, which is very unsuitable for the Western world.

Through a keyhole we can hear, with modest equipment, a tiny part of what's going on and how it develops in the future: Naval Communications on Shortwaves.