Russian Navy Ships to Dock in Havana, No Threat Says Cuba

Cuban officials have disclosed that it is expecting Four Russian vessels, including a nuclear-powered submarine, to arrive in Havana next week.

Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday that the vessels, none of which carry any nuclear weapons, will dock in the Cuban capital between June 12 and 17, assuring that their presence “does not represent a threat to the region”.

“This visit corresponds to the historical friendly relations between Cuba and the Russian Federation and strictly adheres to the international regulations,” said the ministry in a statement.

The unusual deployment of the powerful nuclear submarine Kazan and three other Russian naval vessels near the United States comes amid significant tensions over the war in Ukraine. The distance between Cuba and the US at their closest point is only about 145 km (90 miles).

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested this week that Moscow might take “asymmetrical” measures if Western countries like Germany and the US supplied Ukraine with weapons that were then used on Russian territory.

He argued that the use of certain weapons, including advanced missile technology, would equate to direct participation in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.

The US and other nations have emphasized that these weapons can only be used in border areas from where Russia has recently launched attacks on Ukraine.

Cuba’s Foreign Ministry announced that, besides the Kazan, the visiting Russian vessels will include the frigate Gorshkov, the fleet oil tanker Pashin, and the salvage tug Nikolay Chiker.

Upon the fleet’s arrival at the port of Havana, one of the ships will fire 21 salvos as a salute to the nation, which will be reciprocated by an artillery battery from Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Relations between Russia and Cuba have strengthened since a 2022 meeting between Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Putin. They met again last month for the annual May 9 military parade on Red Square outside the Kremlin.

During the Cold War, Cuba was an important client state for the Soviet Union. The deployment of Soviet nuclear missile sites on the island triggered the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, when Washington and Moscow came close to war. The incident led to the US imposing a trade embargo on Cuba, which remains in force.