RAW: Russian military exercises in Atlantic Ocean
HAVANA, June 12 (Reuters) – A Russian navy frigate and a nuclear-powered submarine entered Havana harbor on Wednesday, a move the U.S. and Cuba said posed no threat but was widely viewed as a display of Russian power amidst escalating tensions over the Ukraine war.
Curious onlookers, fishermen, and police lined the Malecon seafront boulevard under gray skies, welcoming the ships as they passed the historic Morro Castle at the harbor’s entrance.
Cuba, a long-time ally of Russia, greeted the ships with cannon fire from the harbor. Russian diplomats, waving small Russian flags, took selfies as the vessels passed the harbor’s historic fortresses.
The Admiral Gorshkov frigate, followed by the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, half-submerged with its crew on deck, were accompanied by a tugboat and a fuel ship that arrived earlier in the morning.
Russian Naval Presence
The four Russian vessels sailed to Cuba on Wednesday after conducting “high-precision missile weapons” training in the Atlantic Ocean, according to Russia’s defense ministry. The submarine and frigate are equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles, Kalibr cruise missiles, and Onyx anti-ship missiles.
Cuba stated last week that the visit was standard practice for naval vessels from friendly countries. The communist-run government’s foreign ministry emphasized that the fleet carried no nuclear weapons, a statement echoed by U.S. officials.
The U.S. monitored the Russian vessels as they skirted the nearby Florida coast but stated they posed no threat. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that such naval exercises were routine.
“We have seen this kind of thing before and we expect to see it again. I’m not going to read into it any particular motives,” Sullivan said. He noted there was no evidence of Russia transferring any missiles to Cuba but emphasized that the U.S. would remain vigilant.
Power Play Near U.S. Shores
Havana is just 100 miles (160 km) from Key West, Florida, home to a U.S. Naval Air Station. The timing of the visit, as the Biden administration considers its response to the Ukraine conflict, suggests more than “standard practice,” said William Leogrande, a professor at American University.
“The visiting Russian warships are Putin’s way of reminding Biden that Moscow can challenge Washington in its own sphere of influence,” Leogrande said.
The stopover coincides with Cuba’s worst social and economic crisis in decades, marked by shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, along with growing public discontent. “This … has echoes of the Cold War, but unlike the first Cold War, the Cubans are drawn to Moscow not by ideological affinity but by economic necessity,” Leogrande added.
Historical Echoes and Renewed Ties
History looms large in Cuba, especially regarding Russia and its predecessor, the Soviet Union. The Cuban Missile Crisis erupted in 1962 when the Soviet Union responded to a U.S. missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba, sparking a standoff that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.
Today, the two countries are once again strengthening ties. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel visited Russian President Vladimir Putin for the fourth time in May. He attended a military parade, expressed support for Russian forces in Ukraine, and stated that Moscow could always count on Havana’s support.
In March, Russia delivered 90,000 metric tons of oil to Cuba to help alleviate shortages. Moscow has also promised to assist Havana with projects ranging from sugar production to infrastructure, renewable energy, and tourism.
The history between the two nations was not lost on many Cubans who watched the Russian ships’ arrival. “I have never seen a ship of that size so close,” said MarÃa Isabel Quesada, 50, of nearby Old Havana. “As a Cuban, I feel safe, I feel satisfied … confident in having a very beautiful relationship between our countries.”
The Russian ships are expected to remain in Havana until June 17.
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