s/b to build a Navy base in Cyprus.
This seems to be a popular viewpoint, but what would they base there? At one of the last exercises in the Black Sea most of the ships couldn't even get out of port! I could understand this if they were shipbuilding at a phenomenal rate, trying to make a comeback in the world, etc.,, but their armed forces are but a shadow of their former selves.
I would think Putin would also be interested in developing the natural gas reserves in the area. Cyprus would put the Russians pretty close to the large gas fields the Israeli's have next door