When a great power wishes to project its strength abroad there are few better options than dispatching a naval task force to conduct live-fire exercises under the noses of its main rivals.

Moscow’s message is clear: Nato is encroaching into areas of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus that Russia regards as its backyard; European Union countries are about to recognise independence for Kosovo, the breakaway province of Serbia, Russia’s traditional ally; America is pressing ahead with the construction of its missile defence bases in Poland and the Czech Republic.

For a nationalist politician who built his huge support on the promise to make Russia great again, Vladimir Putin’s decision to send his fleet was a logical, if slightly farcical, response. The ships represent most of Russia’s seaworthy surface fleet, and the bombers are hopelessly outdated.

Nato may find itself having to go to the rescue of some of the craft before the operation is over.

In Russia this matters little. Mr Putin has demonstrated to his people that Russia can again project its power.

The Russian fleet, founded by Peter the Great, grew into a formidable force during the Soviet era and once boasted bases around the world from Vietnam to Yemen and Cuba. But it was one of the biggest casualties of the collapse of communism. Part of it was lost to Ukraine and the Baltic states. The Kuznetsov’s sister ship, Varyag, was sold to the Chinese as a casino. In the mid1990s several Russian sailors on a Pacific island starved to death because no one supplied them. In his early days as President, Mr Putin suffered the humiliation of losing the submarine Kursk.

Times Recommends

• Please help: maimed children of war want their lives back
• Cabal seizes diamond riches to buy power
• White House gatecrashers got to the president