A Russian nuclear-powered submarine, accompanied by three other naval vessels, is set to visit Havana next week, Cuban authorities announced. The submarine, named Kazan, along with the missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov, an oil tanker, and a salvage tug, will dock in the Cuban capital from 12 to 17 June. Cuba's Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces stated that none of the vessels are carrying nuclear weapons, asserting that the stopover does not pose a threat to the region.
The announcement comes a day after US officials revealed that Washington had been tracking Russian warships and aircraft expected to arrive in the Caribbean for military exercises. These exercises are seen as part of a broader Russian response to US support for Ukraine. While US officials described the Russian military presence as notable but not concerning, it follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's suggestion of potential 'asymmetrical steps' elsewhere in response to President Joe Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to use US-provided weapons to strike inside Russia.
The deployment of Russian military assets so close to the US, particularly the powerful submarine, occurs amid heightened tensions over the war in Ukraine. The visit will overlap with Biden's attendance at the G7 leaders summit in Italy. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel met with Putin last month during the annual 9 May military parade in Moscow.
During the Cold War, Cuba was a key ally of the Soviet Union, and the deployment of Soviet nuclear missiles on the island triggered the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Relations between Russia and Cuba have strengthened since a 2022 meeting between Diaz-Canel and Putin. Upon the Russian fleet's arrival in Havana, 21 salvoes will be fired from one of the ships as a salute, to be reciprocated by Cuban artillery.
