Why did Russia help the United States during the Civil War?

The arrival of Russian warships in North American ports at precisely the moment Abraham Lincoln needed help in the war against the Confederacy was perceived by Americans as a gesture of genuine support. How did Russia benefit from this move?

Related Keywords

New York , United States , Alabama , Prince Of Wales , Nunavut , Canada , United Kingdom , Paris , France General , France , Alaska , White House , District Of Columbia , Cuba , Petropavlovsk , 92 , Russia , Mexico City , Distrito Federal , Mexico , Honolulu , Hawaii , Jamaica , Almaz , Permskiy Kray , Austria , London , City Of , San Francisco , California , Esquimalt , British Columbia , Petersburg , Sankt Peterburg , George Washington , Villa Clara , Poland , Polish , Americans , America , Russian , Britain , French , Great Britain , British , Austrian , Russians , American , Nikolay Krabbe , Oscar Kremer , Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov , Marshallb Davidson , Henry Bergh , Thurlow Weed , Mikhail Fedorovsky , Alexander Gorchakov , Alexander Nevsky , Abraham Lincoln , Pavel Zelenoy , Ivan Butakov , William Seward , Robert Lund , Stepan Lessovsky , Nikolay Kopytov , Russian Navy , American Union , American Embassy In St , Eduard De Stoeckl , Russian Empire , Rear Admiral Stepan Lessovsky , Rear Admiral Popov , American Independence , King George , British Crown , Crimean War , North America , Far Eastern , Prince Alexander Gorchakov , Foreign Minister , New York Daily Tribune , American Civil , North American , Rear Admirals , State William , New York World , Rear Admiral Lessovsky , American Embassy , Russia Beyond ,