The Russian Ministry of Defence reported that a naval frigate and a nuclear-powered submarine conducted missile drills in the Atlantic Ocean on their way to Cuba. The drills included firing high-precision missiles at mock enemy targets from a distance of over 600km. The Admiral Gorshkov also practiced repelling an air attack. These exercises are part of a four-ship fleet scheduled to arrive in Cuba on Wednesday. Cuba has stated that such visits are common for friendly naval units and that the ships do not carry nuclear weapons or pose a threat to the region.
The United States will closely monitor the arrival of the Russian ships in Cuba, as tensions with Russia are high due to the conflict in Ukraine. Despite the US not viewing the move as a threat, the US Navy will observe the drills. An official stated that Russia is demonstrating its global power projection capabilities through this deployment. The Admiral Gorshkov is equipped with new Zircon hypersonic missiles, which are designed to target both sea and ground targets. This weapon is touted by President Putin as being capable of bypassing existing antimissile defenses by flying at nine times the speed of sound with a range of over 1,000km.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry announced that the Russian warships would be in Havana until June 17. This visit is seen as a reflection of the historically friendly relations between Russia and Cuba. The Admiral Gorshkov and the Kazan are accompanied by two support ships on their trip to Cuba. The strategic bilateral relationship between Russia and Cuba spans back several decades, with Cuba hosting Russian warships in the Caribbean on previous occasions. The visit comes after Putin’s threat to respond to Ukraine’s Western allies providing weapons to strike targets in Russia by arming adversaries of the West globally.
The US and Russia continue to navigate a complex relationship, with the Russian naval exercises in the Atlantic bringing further attention to the situation. Despite tensions, the US does not view the drills as a direct threat. The presence of the Admiral Gorshkov armed with Zircon hypersonic missiles underscores Russia’s military capabilities and its ability to project power on a global scale. Russia’s decision to send warships to Cuba highlights the strategic partnerships it maintains in the region, while also serving as a reminder of its military presence and influence in the Caribbean. As the ships arrive in Havana, the world will be watching closely to understand the implications of this deployment and its impact on regional dynamics.
