Russian Warships Depart Havana’s Port After Five-Day Visit to Cuba

Russian Warships On Havana’s Port.

HAVANA (AP) — A fleet of Russian warships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, departed from Havana’s port on Monday after a five-day visit to Cuba. This visit followed planned military drills in the Atlantic Ocean and is perceived by some as a display of strength by Moscow amidst the ongoing tensions, with the U.S. and other Western nations supporting Kyiv in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.

The departing fleet comprised a submarine, a frigate, an oil tanker, and a rescue tug, which left the port on Monday morning.

The fleet’s next destination within the Caribbean remains uncertain. However, U.S. officials have speculated that the vessels might also make a stop in Venezuela.

Last week, officials from the Biden administration stated they were monitoring the Russian vessels and confirmed that they did not pose a threat to the region, nor did they indicate a transfer of missiles. In response, the United States docked the submarine USS Helena at its Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.

The American naval base, situated in the southeastern part of the island approximately 1,000 kilometers (625 miles) from Havana, is regarded by the Cuban government as illegally occupied territory.

The Russian fleet arrived at the port last week following the Russian Ministry of Defense’s announcement that the fleet had completed successful military drills in the Atlantic Ocean, which included simulating a missile attack on targets more than 600 kilometers (375 miles) away.

The fleet, which included the frigate “Gorshkov,” the nuclear-powered submarine “Kazan,” the tanker “Pashin,” and the tug “Nikolai Chiker,” was welcomed in Havana with a 21-gun salute.

On Saturday, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel toured the frigate and engaged with the sailors, as he mentioned in a post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Meanwhile, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío condemned the presence of the American submarine at the Guantanamo Base, asserting that it was both unwelcome and uninvited.

A State Department spokesperson stated last week that Russia’s port calls in Cuba are “routine naval visits” and do not present any threat.

On Thursday, the day after their arrival, hundreds of people queued up to tour the frigate. The ship was also open to the public on Saturday, a customary practice for visiting vessels.

On Friday, Canada’s navy patrol boat Margaret Brooke entered Havana harbor.

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