Here must be a mistake.

[v0031]

In 1904, the Japanese attacked the Russian fleet at Port Arthur before the formal declaration of war was received in Moscow, surprising the Russian navy and earning an early victory. Over the course of the next year, the two forces clashed in Korea and the Sea of Japan, with the Japanese scoring significant, but costly, victories. War casualties were high on both sides. At the battle over Mukden, the Russians lost 60,000 soldiers and the Japanese lost 41,000 soldiers. The military costs were high as well. A Russian fleet made the long trip from the Baltic Sea around Africa and India, only to be half destroyed by the Japanese upon its arrival in Northeast Asia. By 1905, the combination of these losses and the economic cost of financing the war led both countries to seek an end to the war.


the Baltic Sea isn't around Africa and India

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Indeed it isn't, but in order to get from the Baltic to the Sea of Japan you can't really avoid going around India and if you can't use the Suez Canal, then you have to go around Africa as well.

[Blue3]

They came from the Baltic Sea, and want around Africa and India. They couldn't have travelled through the Arctic Ocean.

[v0031]

Indeed it isn't, but in order to get from the Baltic to the Sea of Japan you can't really avoid going around India and if you can't use the Suez Canal, then you have to go around Africa as well.

So I think the sentence is wrong in grammar.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

Indeed it isn't, but in order to get from the Baltic to the Sea of Japan you can't really avoid going around India and if you can't use the Suez Canal, then you have to go around Africa as well.

So I think the sentence is wrong in grammar.

It's not.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I think you are confusing two separate uses of the adverb 'around'.  While it is often used to mean 'close by', that is not the meaning used in this sentence.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

They couldn't have travelled through the Arctic Ocean.

Given the quality of Russian military leadership at the time I'm almost surprised that they didn't try that...

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

They couldn't have travelled through the Arctic Ocean.

Given the quality of Russian military leadership at the time I'm almost surprised that they didn't try that...

Probably worried that they would run into more Japanese torpedo boats if they did.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Indeed it isn't, but in order to get from the Baltic to the Sea of Japan you can't really avoid going around India and if you can't use the Suez Canal, then you have to go around Africa as well.

So I think the sentence is wrong in grammar.

"Around Africa and India" is not describing the Baltic Sea; it's describing the journey to the Baltic Sea.