Four Russian warships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will arrive in Havana next week, Cuban officials said Thursday, citing “historically friendly relations” between both nations and as tensions escalate over Western military support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Quick Read
- Four Russian warships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will arrive in Havana next week, Cuban officials announced
- The ships will be in Havana from June 12 to June 17, emphasizing the “historically friendly relations” between Cuba and Russia
- The Cuban foreign ministry assured that none of the ships will carry nuclear weapons and their presence poses no threat to the region
- The announcement follows U.S. officials’ reports of tracking Russian warships and aircraft expected in the Caribbean for a military exercise
- The Russian military exercise is seen as a response to U.S. support for Ukraine in its war against Russia
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested Moscow could take “asymmetrical steps” globally in response to U.S. actions in Ukraine
- The Russian ships arriving in Havana are the frigate “Gorshkov,” the nuclear-powered submarine “Kazan,” the fleet oil tanker “Pashin,” and the salvage tug “Nikolai Chiker”
- Upon arrival, the fleet will fire a 21-gun salute, reciprocated by an artillery battery of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces
The Associated Press has the story:
Russian warships will arrive in Havana next week, say Cuban officials citing ‘friendly relations’
Newslooks- HAVANA (AP) —
Four Russian warships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will arrive in Havana next week, Cuban officials said Thursday, citing “historically friendly relations” between both nations and as tensions escalate over Western military support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Cuba’s foreign ministry said in a news release that the ships will be in Havana between June 12 and June 17, noting that none of them will carry any nuclear weapons and assuring their presence “does not represent a threat to the region.”
The announcement came a day after U.S. officials said that Washington had been tracking Russian warships and aircraft that were expected to arrive in the Caribbean for a military exercise. They said the exercise would be part of a broader Russian response to the U.S. support for Ukraine.
The officials said that the Russian military presence was notable but not concerning. However, it’s taking place as Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Moscow could take “asymmetrical steps” elsewhere in the world in response to President Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons to strike inside Russia to protect Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
Cuba’s Foreign Ministry said that the four Russian ships are the frigate “Gorshkov,” the nuclear-powered submarine “Kazan,” the fleet oil tanker “Pashin” and the salvage tug “Nikolai Chiker.”
During the fleet’s arrival at the port of Havana, 21 salvos will be fired from one of the ships as a salute to the nation, which will be reciprocated by an artillery battery of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces, the foreign ministry said.
