On Monday, a group of Russian warships, which included a nuclear-powered submarine, departed from the port of Havana after a brief five-day visit to Cuba. This visit came after planned military exercises in the Atlantic Ocean. Some have interpreted this exercise as a display of strength by Moscow amidst rising tensions, as the U.S. and other Western countries continue to support Kyiv in Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine.
On Monday morning, the frigate, oil tanker, submarine, and rescue tug left the port at a slow pace.
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The fleet’s next destination and its potential docking location in the Caribbean remain uncertain at this time. However, several U.S. officials had previously mentioned that the vessels might make a stop in Venezuela as well.
Last week, the Biden administration officials stated that they were closely monitoring the vessels. They confirmed that the vessels did not indicate any transfer of missiles or pose a threat to the region. However, as a precautionary measure, the United States docked the USS Helena submarine at its Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.
According to the Cuban government, the American naval base situated in the southeastern region of the island, around 1,000 kilometers (625 miles) away from Havana, is occupying the territory illegally.
The port was abuzz with activity last week as the Russian fleet made its arrival. According to reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense, the fleet had just completed a series of military drills in the Atlantic Ocean, which included simulating a missile attack on targets located over 600 kilometers (375 miles) away.
Upon arrival in Havana, the fleet consisting of the frigate “Gorshkov,” the nuclear-powered submarine “Kazan,” the tanker “Pashin,” and the tug “Nikolai Chiker” received a grand welcome with a 21-gun salute.
On Saturday, the sailors had the opportunity to interact with Cuban President Miguel Dรญaz-Canel, who visited the frigate. The President shared his experience on X, previously known as Twitter.
Carlos Fernรกndez de Cossรญo, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Cuba, expressed his disapproval of the presence of the American submarine at Guantanamo Base, stating that it was unwelcome and uninvited.
According to a spokesperson from the State Department, Russia’s visits to Cuba’s ports are regular naval calls and do not present any threat.
Hundreds of people eagerly lined up to visit the frigate the day after its arrival on Thursday. This is a common practice when vessels arrive at the port, as the ship was also open to the public on Saturday.
On Friday, the Margaret Brooke, a patrol boat from Canada’s navy, arrived in the Havana harbor.
