Russian warships conducted drills in the Atlantic Ocean on their way to visit Cuba, displaying Moscow’s military power amidst tensions with the West over Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and the Kazan nuclear-powered submarine participated in a simulation of a missile strike on enemy ships, targeting sea targets over 600 kilometers away. The Admiral Gorshkov is equipped with new Zircon hypersonic missiles, capable of flying nine times faster than the speed of sound and reaching over 1,000 kilometers.
Accompanied by two support vessels, the Russian warships are set to visit Havana from Wednesday to June 17, showcasing the historically friendly relations between Russia and Cuba. The Cuban Foreign Ministry assured that the warships do not carry nuclear weapons and do not pose a threat to the region. This visit comes after the U.S. announced tracking Russian warships and aircraft arriving in the Caribbean for a military exercise.
The presence of Russian warships in the Caribbean follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warning that Moscow could respond to Western allies supporting Ukraine by supplying weapons to adversaries of the West worldwide. While Russia has sent warships to the region in the past, this visit underscores Russia’s assertiveness in the face of geopolitical tensions.
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