According to US officials, Russian warships and aircraft are being monitored as they head towards the Caribbean for an upcoming military exercise, in a display of Russian strength amid escalating tensions over Western military support for Ukraine.
The exercise, set to be overseen by the US military, will involve a “handful” of Russian ships and support vessels, as revealed by two officials on Wednesday.
These warships are anticipated to potentially make port calls in Venezuela and Cuba, as Russia seeks to establish a military presence in the Western Hemisphere, a move deemed notable but not alarming by senior Biden administration officials.
While it’s not the first time Russia has dispatched its ships to the Caribbean, this exercise gains significance as Russian President Vladimir Putin has hinted at potential “asymmetrical steps” worldwide in response to President Joe Biden’s decision to authorize Ukraine to utilize US-provided weapons to defend Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
The officials, speaking anonymously to reporters, affirmed that the exercise is undeniably part of a broader Russian reaction to US support for Ukraine, while also serving as a demonstration of Russia’s naval capabilities for global power projection, especially after suffering losses to Ukrainian strikes.
Despite Russia’s failure to notify the US of the impending exercise, the movements of the ships have been tracked by the US Navy. The absence of notification, although common practice to prevent misunderstandings, doesn’t negate Russia’s right, like other nations, to conduct exercises in international waters, according to the officials.
Coinciding with this, approximately 20 NATO countries, including the US, are set to commence BALTOPS 24, a significant naval and air exercise near Russia in the Baltic region.
The officials anticipate that the Russian ships will remain in the Caribbean throughout the summer, likely followed by additional exercises in the region after this one concludes. Congress was briefed on these upcoming Russian exercises on Wednesday.
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