The arrival of the ships comes just weeks after another squadron of Russian warships, including a powerful nuclear-powered submarine, visited Cuba as part of military maneuvers in mid-June.
Three warships of the Russian Baltic Fleet have arrived in Cuban waters, the second such sea voyage from Moscow in as many months, in a reflection of the deepening of ties between Moscow and Havana.
The naval group, made up of a training shipa patrol frigate and a replenishment tankerremain docked in the port of Havanauntil August 30.
The arrival of ships It comes just weeks after another squadron of Russian warships, including a powerful nuclear-powered submarine, will visit Cuba as part of military exercises in mid-June.
U.S. officials closely monitored those exercises, stating that the group of four ships posed no threat. At the time, experts described the warships’ Caribbean tour as a symbolic show of strength in response to continued US and Western support for Ukraine.
Cuban defense officials announced the latest port call earlier this week, calling the arrival of the Russian warships “historical practice” and display of “friendship and collaboration”.
Neither Havana nor Moscow gave details about the purpose of this latest deployment.
The docking of the flotilla has unleashed a wave of excitement among the general public, with Cubans strolling along the port avenue to get a better view of the warships on Saturday and authorities saying that interested visitors would be admitted aboard the Russian training shipcalled Smolny, on Sunday and Monday.
“It’s something friendly. A link between Russia and the Cubans,” said Maydelis Pérez, a 29-year-old spectator. “It’s a family outing.”
Russia is a long-time ally of Venezuela and Cubaand its ships and warplanes have made periodic forays into the Caribbean and docked in Havana.
Although Cuba is not a key player in Russian foreign policy, experts say that Russia considers Cuba strategically important given its continued weight among developing nations.
Cuba and Russia, both subject to severe economic sanctions by the United Stateshave strengthened their political and economic ties in recent years, especially as Moscow seeks to boost diplomatic support for its war in Ukraine and Havana seeks any economic help it can get.
Cuba has systematically abstained from UN resolutions on the invasion of Ukraine and has avoided criticizing Moscow’s war. Russia has sold significant volumes of oil to Cubawhich has struggled under Washington’s economic embargo, put in place by then-President John F. Kennedy in 1962.
