It is near the border with both China and Russia and is a warm-water port for both countries.
Vostochny is the only absolutely warm-water port in the Russian Far East.
He rejected the fear that the Russians have historically pushed south toward warm-water ports in the Persian Gulf and dismissed their navy as a factor.
The navy, in particular, prizes its warm-water ports.
In late 1979, the Soviet Union sent its troops into Afghanistan, getting itself closer to a warm-water port.
"Until someone figures out how to pipeline this stuff to a warm-water port I just can't get that excited about it."
She'd need to control warm-water ports in the south, and the shipping lines used to move the oil to all points east and west.
Port Arthur falling into Japanese hands would undermine its own desperate need for a warm-water port in the East.
Russia's interest in gaining access to warm-water ports did not arise under communism--nor has it now disappeared.
"Admiral, we now have the warm-water port we have needed for so many years."
