A bunch of Russian warships, together with a nuclear-powered submarine, concluded a five-day go to to Havana on Monday, departing the port after collaborating in deliberate navy workout routines within the Atlantic Ocean. The presence of those vessels has been considered by some as an illustration of Moscow’s navy energy amid heightened tensions, with the U.S. and different Western nations supporting Ukraine in its battle with Russia.
The departing fleet, which consisted of a frigate, an oil tanker, and a rescue tug, left Havana’s port slowly on Monday morning. The subsequent vacation spot of the fleet within the Caribbean stays unclear, though earlier studies urged the opportunity of a cease in Venezuela.
Final week, U.S. officers had been monitoring the Russian vessels and acknowledged that they posed no menace to the area, nor did they point out any missile transfers. Concurrently, the US had stationed its personal submarine, the usHelena, at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, a transfer that drew criticism from Cuban authorities who view the bottom as illegally occupied territory.
The Russian fleet’s go to to Havana adopted navy drills within the Atlantic Ocean, throughout which the ships reportedly simulated missile assaults on targets situated over 600 kilometers away. Upon arrival in Cuba, the fleet was greeted with a ceremonial 21-gun salute.
In the course of the go to, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel visited the frigate and engaged with its crew on Saturday, as documented in his social media posts. In the meantime, Cuban Deputy International Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío criticized the presence of the American submarine at Guantanamo Base, describing it as undesirable and uninvited.
A spokesperson from the U.S. State Division reiterated that Russia’s port calls in Cuba are routine naval visits and don’t pose a menace. The presence of the Russian ships in Havana attracted appreciable public curiosity, with a whole lot of individuals lining as much as go to the frigate shortly after its arrival, a customary observe throughout such visits.
In a separate maritime improvement, Canada’s navy patrol boat Margaret Brooke entered Havana harbor on Friday, underscoring the worldwide naval exercise within the area throughout this era of heightened geopolitical tensions.
