A Russian naval fleet, including the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, has arrived in Cuba for a five-day visit, showcasing Moscow’s military presence amid heightened tensions over its invasion of Ukraine. The fleet, accompanied by a tugboat and a fuel ship, received a warm welcome from curious onlookers, fishermen, and police along Havana’s Malecon seafront boulevard as it sailed into the harbor on Wednesday. Cuba, a longstanding ally of Russia, greeted the vessels with a 21-gun salute, while Russian diplomats waved flags and took selfies against the historic backdrop of Havana’s fortresses. The four Russian vessels conducted high-precision missile training in the Atlantic Ocean en route to Cuba. Both the frigate and submarine are equipped with advanced weaponry, including Zircon hypersonic missiles, Kalibr cruise missiles, and Onyx antiship missiles, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence.
This rare deployment of the Russian navy near the United States follows recent developments where Washington and its allies have permitted Ukraine to use their weapons on Russian targets. This comes amid a renewed Russian offensive in northeastern Kharkiv and ongoing shortages of troops and ammunition. Havana is located just 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Key West, Florida, home to a US naval air station. Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America program at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC, remarked that the Russian warships serve as a reminder to Washington of the discomfort caused by adversarial meddling in one’s near vicinity. It also reassures Russia’s allies in the region, such as Cuba and Venezuela, of Moscow’s support.
Cuba’s government stated that the visit by the Russian fleet is a standard practice for naval vessels from friendly nations and clarified that the ships are not carrying nuclear weapons. The United States, while monitoring the vessels, has downplayed the deployment. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan mentioned that such naval exercises are routine and not indicative of specific motives. He added that there is no evidence of Russia transferring missiles to Cuba but assured that the U.S. would remain vigilant.
The fleet’s arrival coincides with a meeting in Moscow between Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. During the meeting, Rodriguez expressed Cuba’s rejection of NATO’s expansion towards Russia’s borders, which he claimed led to the current conflict in Europe. He also called for a diplomatic, constructive, and realistic solution to the conflict.
Historically, Cuba was a significant ally of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, where Moscow responded to a US missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba, brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. Despite the Soviet Union’s collapse, Cuba has maintained close ties with Russia, and the relationship has strengthened since a 2022 meeting between Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
For Cuba, the relationship with Russia is driven by economic necessity as it faces severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel. The US has maintained an economic and trade embargo on Cuba since 1960. In March, Russia delivered 90,000 metric tonnes of oil to Cuba to help alleviate fuel shortages and has pledged assistance in various projects, including sugar production, infrastructure, renewable energy, and tourism. Javier Farje, an expert on Latin American politics, emphasized that the current situation is not akin to the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. Instead, it reflects Cuba’s increasing dependence on Russia due to a lack of economic development. The Russian naval ships are expected to remain in Havana until June 17. US officials anticipate that the fleet will stay in the region throughout the summer, with possible stops in Venezuela.
