Three Russian Warships and a Nuclear Submarine Docking in Havana Next Week!

Next week, three Russian Navy ships and a nuclear-powered submarine will arrive at the Port of Havana for an official visit, as announced by the Cuban armed forces on Thursday. This visit, initially disclosed by U.S. officials, will feature military exercises.

The Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces specified that the missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov, the nuclear submarine Kazan, the oil tanker Pashin, and the salvage tug Nikolai Chiker will dock on June 12 for a week-long stay. They emphasized the visit underscores the “friendly” relations between Cuba and Russia, adheres to international law, and poses no regional security threat as none of the vessels are carrying nuclear weapons.

A U.S. official informed McClatchy and the Miami Herald that these exercises will involve increased naval and air activity near the United States, marking the first coordinated Russian air and sea exercise in the Western Hemisphere in five years. Despite expressing disappointment over Cuba’s decision to host the Russian fleet, the official noted that the nuclear submarine is not assessed to be carrying nuclear weapons and does not pose a direct threat to U.S. national security.

U.S. officials believe that Cuba's approval of the Russian port call is partially in response to a U.S. nuclear submarine docking at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base last year, which had angered the Cuban government. The official also remarked on the routine nature of Russian naval visits to Cuba, which have intensified due to U.S. support for Ukraine and NATO exercises.

The Russian vessels, part of the Northern Fleet, embarked on May 17 for “a long voyage... to demonstrate the Russian flag and ensure naval presence in important areas of the distant oceanic zone,” according to the Russian news agency Tass. The Admiral Gorshkov frigate recently conducted an artillery exercise in the Atlantic Ocean, and the Kazan submarine, commissioned in 2021, is outfitted with long-range precision missiles.

In its statement, the Cuban government highlighted that the Russian sailors will participate in cultural activities, including courtesy visits to Cuban officials and tours of historical and cultural sites.

Historically, Russian submarines have been visiting Cuban ports since 1969, with spy ships making unannounced appearances in Havana before notable events like Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014 and U.S.-Cuba talks in 2015. The Russian navy’s training ship Perekop also visited Havana last July.