Three Russian ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, are set to arrive in Cuba on Wednesday for naval exercises in the Caribbean Sea that will continue until Monday.
Despite the capability of two of these vessels to carry long-range missiles that could be equipped with nuclear warheads, Havana asserts that none of the ships have nuclear weapons onboard. Washington has stated that these exercises “pose no direct threat to the United States.”
While the drills’ location may evoke memories of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, experts told The Moscow Times that Russia’s objective is to issue a warning to the West without escalating tensions. The exercises also aim to project Russia as a global power with influence far beyond its own waters.
Although relations between Havana and Moscow are not as close as they were during the Cold War, the two countries maintain a friendly rapport. This persists despite recent reports of Cuban nationals being trafficked to support Russia’s war efforts.
Both nations strongly criticize the sanctions imposed on them and the expansion of NATO. Havana supported Russia’s claim of “self-defense” against NATO following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, though it did not fully endorse the invasion.
Emanuel Pietrobon, an analyst specializing in Latin America and the post-Soviet space, described Cuba as Russia’s most important partner in the Western Hemisphere from a geopolitical standpoint.
He noted that the island’s proximity to the U.S. makes it an advantageous location for Russia to conduct electronic warfare and gather intelligence by intercepting signals from U.S. Navy command centers.
From Cuba’s perspective, Russia is a key partner in ensuring domestic and economic stability. In 2014, Moscow forgave 90% of Cuba’s $35.2 billion debt to the Soviet Union.
Russian naval exercises in Cuba are not new, having been held annually from 2013 to 2020, making this week’s port call “routine” according to Washington. Despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and President Vladimir Putin’s recent threats to supply weapons capable of striking Kyiv’s Western allies, experts indicated that the significance of the maneuvers remains unchanged.
Russia aims to demonstrate its navy’s ability to cross oceans and approach Florida’s coast, as noted by Pietrobon.
If the geopolitical context has changed anything, it has made Washington more attentive to the naval vessels’ capabilities beyond their symbolic significance, said Vladimir Rouvinski, associate professor of politics at Icesi University. Both Pietrobon and Rouvinski emphasized Russia’s efforts to strengthen relations with Cuba and neighboring allies, including Venezuela.
The presence of the Kazan nuclear-powered submarine is particularly notable. While it does not carry nuclear weapons, it is capable of launching Kalibr cruise missiles with a range of up to 2,500 kilometers, which can be nuclear-equipped.
The Frigate Admiral Gorshkov, also arriving in Cuba, carries hypersonic Tsirkon missiles, which the Kremlin claims are nuclear-capable. These vessels will be supported by the Akademik Pashin refueling tanker and the Nikolay Chiker tugboat.
