Russian Warships Enter Havana Bay as Part of Planned Exercises

Russian warships arrived in Cuban waters on Wednesday as part of planned military exercises that experts say were a symbolic show of strength in reaction to continued U.S. support for Ukraine, and a reflection of growing ties between Russia and Cuba.

The four-vessel group poses no real threat, U.S. officials said, despite tensions between the United States and Russia over the Ukraine war. The group includes the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan and the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, and contains no nuclear weapons.

The warships, which performed military exercises before their arrival in the Caribbean, will remain in Havana until June 17 while the crew meets officials and visits cultural and historical sites, according to Cuba’s foreign ministry.

Capable of engaging in surface warfare, using land attack missiles and defending against maritime and aircraft attacks, the Admiral Gorshkov flew both Cuban and Russian flags, according to news reports, and was greeted with a 21-gun salute as it sailed into Havana Bay. The Kazan was expected to follow, lurking below the surface.

Are the Russian ships a cause for alarm?

The U.S. Department of Defense considers the ships’ arrival routine activity that represents no threat to the United States, a spokeswoman said. The department has been monitoring the progress of the ships in the Atlantic Ocean, she added.