ASPI Foreign Policy expert Michael Shoebridge says Russia’s growing military presence in Ukraine is something the world must be “paying much more attention to” – as Russia continues to establish both significant ground and naval forces in the region.

“Russia has continued to mass more troops on the Ukrainian border – there are over 100,000 Russian troops there now – that’s more troops than they massed when they invaded Ukraine back in 2014," he said.

“They’re bringing 15 small ships from their Caspian flotilla into the Black Sea and ships from their Black Sea fleet – they’ll have about 50 warships in the Black Sea and they’ve closed part of it to other states’ naval assets including the Ukrainians.

“You’ve got to think, why now? I think there are a number of reasons and they’re not all just about Ukraine.”

Mr Shoebridge said a possible reason would be the Russians are testing the “new president” Joe Biden and asserting “Russian power” in the region.

“I think they’re wanting to test the new US president. They’re also wanting to use this moment to say, ‘don’t forget about Russian power’,” he said.