The Russian nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, a part of the Russian naval detachment visiting Cuba, docks at Havana’s harbour, June 12, 2024. The Russian nuclear-powered submarine Kazan — which is not going to be carrying nuclear weapons — and three different Russian naval vessels, will dock within the Cuban capital from June 12-17. The bizarre deployment of the Russian navy so near the USA — significantly the highly effective submarine — comes amid main tensions over the struggle in Ukraine, the place the Western-backed authorities is combating a Russian invasion. Agence France-Presse
HAVANA — A Russian nuclear-powered submarine and different naval vessels arrived in Cuba Wednesday for a five-day go to to the communist island off Florida’s coast in a present of power amid spiraling US-Russian tensions.
The submarine Kazan, which Cuba says just isn’t carrying nuclear weapons, was accompanied by the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, in addition to an oil tanker and a salvage tug.
Russia’s protection ministry stated in a press release that previous to getting into the Havana port, the fleet “accomplished an train on using high-precision missile weapons.”
READ: Russian navy intelligence unit could also be linked to ‘Havana syndrome’
The bizarre deployment of the Russian navy so near the USA — significantly the highly effective submarine — comes amid main tensions over the struggle in Ukraine, the place the Western-backed authorities is combating a Russian invasion.
“We in fact take it significantly, however these workouts don’t pose a menace to the USA,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh informed journalists.
The port name coincided on Wednesday with a gathering in Moscow between Cuba’s Overseas Minister Bruno Rodriguez and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, as the 2 former Chilly Battle allies additional tighten their hyperlinks.
READ: Cuba sees surge in overseas vacationers, hopes for extra Russian
Through the assembly, Rodriguez expressed his authorities’s “rejection of the enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Group (NATO) in the direction of the Russian border,” which he stated “led to the present battle in Europe, and particularly between Moscow and Kyiv,” in keeping with a Cuban overseas ministry assertion.
He additionally known as for “a diplomatic, constructive and real looking resolution” to the disaster.
The Kazan and Admiral Gorshkov, which is considered one of Russia’s most fashionable warships, might be seen simply off Havana, which is about 90 miles (145 kilometers) from the tip of Florida.
The tanker Pashin and the tug, flying the white, blue and crimson tricolor of Russia, entered the harbor early Wednesday morning, an AFP reporter stated.
“Within the coming days, the crews of the ships and help vessels will participate in quite a few protocol occasions,” Russia’s protection ministry stated in a press release revealed by the Interfax information company.
‘Historic relations’
Cuba’s navy stated the go to by the naval detachment “strictly complies with worldwide laws” and is a nod to “the historic relations of friendship” between Havana and Moscow.
Pentagon press secretary Singh stated port calls of this nature are “routine naval visits that we’ve seen underneath completely different administrations.”
“We’re at all times consistently going to watch any overseas vessels working close to US territorial waters.”
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel met with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin final month for the annual Might 9 navy parade on Purple Sq. outdoors the Kremlin.
He wished Russia “success” in its Ukraine offensive and condemned “the geopolitical manipulation” of the USA, in feedback reported by Russia’s TASS information company.
Through the Chilly Battle, Cuba was an essential shopper state for the Soviet Union. The deployment of Soviet nuclear missile websites on the island triggered the Cuban Missile Disaster of 1962, when Washington and Moscow got here near struggle.
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Relations between Russia and Cuba have grow to be nearer since a 2022 assembly between Diaz-Canel and Putin.
