What does Sicily have to do with the war in Ukraine?
The war in Ukraine finds roots less distant than one might think because of the Sicilian presence on the front lines. In fact, Sicily hosts on its territory a NATO air base in Singonella, near Catania, the Muos in Niscemi and themilitary airport in Birgi. The positioning of Sicily is therefore of considerable geopolitical importance.
What has happened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Last Wednesday, February 23, from the Singonella Nato Base, as the crow flies very close to Eastern Europe, are drones take off GlobalHawk, capable of staying airborne for more than 24 hours at a time, tasked with monitoring Russian troops stationed in the Donbass, an area of eastern Ukraine divided into three “regions” (oblast), that of Donetsk, the main city, that of Luhansk and that of Dnipropetrovsk.
These drones are aircraft that are remotely piloted and are equipped with a scanning radar that allows them to observe the terrain even below the clouds and through forests. An infrared sensor then measures heat differences to detect the presence of objects and people, which, thanks to an ultramodern system, delves into their details. In addition, their extended range allows them to cover as much as 100 thousand square kilometers.
What are the other bases in Sicily of geopolitical interest
Another base of geopolitical interest that pulls in Sicily is Muos in Niscemi, in the province of Caltanissetta, a large U.S. military radar station for major satellite observations and remote drone guidance. Muos consists of five satellites and four ground stations-the Niscemi base is one of these four. The others are in Virginia in the USA, Australia and Hawaii. Also because of proximity issues, the one in Niscemi is active at this time to control Ukrainian territories.
Still, of great interest is Birgi, more specifically the military airport at Marsala, which was previously used during the Gulf War.
So, Sicily’s location is indeed strategic, as demonstrated, both by air and sea positioning. In fact, Italy is one of the European forces most affected by the movement of fleets involving both the Kremlin and the Atlantic Alliance commands. In the last week of January, NATO also launched massive exercises in the Mediterranean.
An additional piece, which contributes to making Sicily of great strategic importance, is offered by the Internet, technological and even electrical connections between African and European territories that affect the Island and thus bring it even greater relevance, especially at a delicate geopolitical moment such as the one we are currently experiencing.
by Giulia Nari
Top photo from: The Voice of New York