Four Russian navy ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived in Cuba on Wednesday where they will dock for five days. The oil tanker "Bashin" and the tugboat "Nikolai Cheker," bearing the Russian white, blue, and red flag, were the first to enter Havana's port, followed shortly by the frigate "Admiral Gorshkov." The Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces stated last week, "None of these ships are carrying nuclear weapons, so their stop in our country does not pose a threat to the region." They clarified that this visit "strictly respects the international regulations adhered to by Cuba" and responds to the "historical friendship relations" between Havana and Moscow. Concurrently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez in Moscow on Wednesday, according to the Cuban Foreign Ministry.
In Washington, Pentagon Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Singh indicated that the arrival of these ships in Havana "is not surprising, as the Russians have made such stops on the Caribbean island before." The closest point in the United States is approximately 160 kilometers from Cuban shores. American National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that these vessels "do not pose a threat to the United States," while noting that this fleet "includes a nuclear-powered submarine, which is something previous fleets that came to Cuba did not possess."
In May, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel visited the Russian capital, attending a military parade with President Vladimir Putin to commemorate the Soviet victory over the Nazis in 1945. This visit occurred amid tensions between Moscow and Western nations due to the war in Ukraine. Relations between Russia and Cuba have grown closer since the 2022 meeting between Díaz-Canel and Putin. Vladimir Putin considers relations with Cuba to be "strategic." During his recent visit to Moscow in May, the Cuban leader wished Russia "success" in its war against Ukraine, according to the Russian news agency TASS. A Russian naval fleet visited Cuba in 2019 amid rising tensions between Havana and Washington following the election of Republican Donald Trump (2017-2021).
**America is Monitoring**
The Pentagon is monitoring the situation but asserts that Russian presence there does not pose any threat to America. It stated that it is closely observing the Russian military movements in Cuba after the arrival of the nuclear submarine and other naval ships to the island, despite affirming that this presence does not constitute a danger to the United States. Washington has imposed a financial and trade embargo on Cuba for over six decades, which Trump reinforced by placing the island on his list of state sponsors of terrorism. His successor, Democrat Joe Biden, kept Cuba on this list and did not substantially alter the sanctions imposed on it. Russia is also subject to trade sanctions imposed by Western countries due to its war with Ukraine. Additionally, a Canadian navy patrol vessel "HMCS Margaret Brooke" is expected to arrive in Havana on Friday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to the Cuban Foreign Ministry.
