How did Catherine the Great finally gain a permanent warm-water port for Russia? defeating Prussia and taking the city of Gdansk on the North Sea
O defeating France and taking the port of Calais on the English Channel
defeating the Ottomans and taking control of the Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea
defeating China and taking the port of Macao on the South China Sea

Explanation:

Annexation of Crimea by Catherine II

Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great, weighted the advantages and disadvantages of annexing the Crimean Peninsula in violation of the Peace Treaty of Kϋϛϋk Kaynarca. Turks and Crimean Tartars had aspirations at taking the entire peninsula so Russia had to have a presence in the region. Annexing Crimea would lead to a continuous border between the Black and the Azov Seas which would change the defense strategy of the southern border. Setting the defense of the southern border in Crimea would strengthen Russia’s influence in the Black Sea. It would give Russia the power to monitor the mouths of the Danube and Dniper Rivers. Another benefit was that the Black Sea had no restrictions on the size and tonnage of vessels, unlike the Dniper estuary which could be blocked at any time by Turkish fleets. A Black Sea fleet would keep the Ottoman Empire in check. Establishing a port in the Black Sea was strategically important for Russia as most of its ports freeze in winter and it was essential for trading and to support a strong navy.

Catherine II was determined to continue her territorial expansion and preparations for annexation started over a year before the final annexation took place. In December 1782 she ordered the Foreign Affairs Board to start diplomatic work with European powers of the day such as Britain, France, Austria and Sardinia. Concluding that Russian ports would feel threatened by the Ottoman Empire, Catherine the Great issued a manifesto on April 1783 justifying the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Empire. The final documents were signed on February 2, 1784.

Russians were continually meddling in Crimea destabilizing their government. Catherine encouraged revolt against the Khan and installed a puppet government faithful to her. When the annexation took place Tartars raised in protest. She insisted that she was saving them from misgovernment.

European countries ultimately accepted the appropriation of the Crimean territory and it was considered a huge success of Russia’s foreign policy. The Treaty of Constantinople in 1784 ceded the Crimea Peninsula to the Russian Empire.

In order to secure its borders Catherine the Great gave orders to build the fortress of Sevastopol and the Black Sea Fleet. The construction of the Black Sea Fleet was given to Prince Grigory Potemkin, the Governor and General in Chief of Novorossiysk.

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