Four Russian navy ships – including a nuclear-powered submarine and a frigate – have arrived in Cuba in what is seen as a show of force amid tensions with the West over the war in Ukraine.
The ships are anchored in Havana Bay, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) from the U.S. state of Florida.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and Kazan submarine carry advanced weapons, including Zircon hypersonic missiles. They had earlier conducted missile drills in the Atlantic Ocean.
But Cuba’s foreign ministry said the ships did not carry nuclear weapons and their five-day visit did not pose a threat to the region.
U.S. officials said they were monitoring the visit closely.
On a gloomy morning, Russian ships entered Havana Bay, flanked by smaller support ships, and fired a 21-gun salute.
The Russian Defense Minister said in a statement that the visit was unofficial and allowed the crew to “rest and familiarize themselves with local attractions.”
Russia has sent warships to Cuba in the past and the two countries are long-time allies, but the timing of these particular exercises is striking.
The operation was interpreted by some as a saber-rattling from Moscow amid rising tensions over a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Certainly, this seems to be sending a very clear message from the Kremlin to Washington about what they believe is meddling in their own backyard.
The visit is an important symbol of support for Cuba’s communist government and its socialist ally Venezuela, where the warships are likely to head to their next stop after ending in Havana.
From the U.S. perspective, officials said they were aware of the visit but did not believe it posed a threat to the United States, adding that their understanding was that the nuclear-powered submarine did not carry nuclear weapons.
In essence, while the visit may have been considered broadly routine, the context of wider global hostilities in which it took place was anything but.
