The visit of a Russian naval fleet to Cuba, made up of a nuclear-powered submarine, a frigate, a tanker and a tugboat, came to an end on Monday after five days in the port of Havana. This stopover comes amid tensions between Moscow and the West over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leading some analysts to interpret it as a show of force by Russia in the region.
Prior to their arrival to the Caribbean island, the Russian ships carried out military exercises in the Atlantic Ocean, simulating missile attacks against targets located more than 600 kilometers away. This maneuver was seen by the United States and other Western nations, allies of kyiv in the conflict with Ukraine, as a display of naval power by Moscow.
Upon arriving in Havana, the Russian fleet was received with honors, in a welcoming gesture by the Cuban authorities. President Miguel Díaz-Canel personally visited the Gorshkov frigate on Saturday, interacting with Russian sailors, in clear support for the ships’ arrival.
America’s response
Meanwhile, the Cuban government rejected the presence of the US submarine USS Helena at the Guantanamo naval base, calling it an illegal occupation of Cuban territory. This measure by Washington was interpreted as a response to the visit of Russian ships to the island.
Although US officials ruled out that the Russian fleet represented a threat to the region or involved the transfer of missiles, the situation generated additional tensions in an already complex context due to the war in Ukraine and Western sanctions on Russia.
During their stay in Cuba, the Russian ships were opened to the public on two occasions, allowing hundreds of people to visit the Gorshkov frigate, in a common practice when the ships arrive at the port of Havana.
After completing its visit, the Russian fleet left Cuban waters on Monday morning, although its next destination has not been specified. Some sources suggest that the ships could stop in Venezuela, another regional ally of Russia.
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