🇷🇺 🇨🇺 Russian Nuclear Submarine to Visit Cuba Amid Rising US Tensions

The Guardian |

A Russian nuclear-powered submarine, Kazan, along with three other naval vessels, will dock in Havana next week amid escalating tensions with the US over Ukraine. The vessels, including the missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov, will be in Cuba from June 12-17.

🔹 Not Carrying Nuclear Weapons: Cuba's revolutionary armed forces ministry clarified, “None of the vessels is carrying nuclear weapons, so their stopover in our country does not represent a threat to the region.”

🔹 Context of Tension: This visit comes right after US officials tracked Russian warships and aircraft heading to the Caribbean for a military exercise, a response to US support for Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has hinted at “asymmetrical steps” globally in reaction to President Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to strike inside Russia.

🔹 Historical Significance: The deployment echoes Cold War-era dynamics, with Cuba once again playing a strategic role for Russia, reminiscent of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

🔹 Strengthening Ties: Relations between Russia and Cuba have warmed significantly since 2022, with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel recently meeting Putin for a military parade in Moscow.

🔹 Symbolic Salute: Upon arrival, the Russian fleet will fire 21 salvoes as a salute, which will be reciprocated by Cuba’s revolutionary armed forces.

This bold move by Russia places a significant military presence near the US, heightening geopolitical tensions and underscoring the complex dynamics at play in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

[K.P.]