With all the unrest in Crimea I have been doing some reading about the history of the region. Sources I have read say that if Russia were to lose the warm water port of Sevastopol their status as a world military power would be in jeopardy. Why is this? Why aren't their many cold water ports enough to maintain global influence?
A warm water port is a port that's water doesn't freeze during winter. A frozen port is pretty bad if you're trying to move a fleet of ships.