Half a league, half a league, half a league onward....

History, folks. Russia wants warm water ports for trade & their navy. The only way to get them is to take them... if they can... cause they ain't got none in Russia. The Empire is striking back... or the way they see it, regaining their lost glory...

Warm port means the Black Sea... first Crimea and then onward to Odessa. Just like they did 200 plus years ago.