A satellite image showing Russian vessels in Havana, Cuba (Picture: via Reuters)
Satellite images show Russian warships moored in Cuba, around 100 miles from Florida.
The arrival of Putin’s vessels so close US shores has widely been seen as a show of force from the leader, as tensions rise over the Ukraine war.
Speaking yesterday, Russia said the west need not be nervous, though claimed its governments appeared only to take notice when Putin’s army or navy take action, while diplomatic signals from Moscow fell on deaf ears.
The US, meanwhile, said there was no evidence of Russia transferring any missiles to Cuba, but added it would remain vigilant.
Before docking in Havana on Wednesday, the frigate and nuclear-powered submarine, according to Russia, carried out ‘high-precision missile weapons’ training in the Atlantic Ocean.
The warships, which were not carrying nuclear weapons, will remain in Havana until June 17, before moving onto Venezuela.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the navy’s actions and movements were ‘normal practice for all states including such a large maritime power as Russia’.
Tourists pass by Putin’s moored warships (Picture: Reuters)
Crew members work on the nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine Kazan (Picture: Reuters)
‘So we don’t see any reason (for the west) to worry in this case,’ he said.
But Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added: ‘As soon as it comes to exercises or sea voyages, we immediately hear questions and a desire to know what these messages are about.
‘Why do only signals related only to our army and navy reach the West?’
‘Why does the West remain completely deaf, and then comes up with the most powerful campaigns to prevent Russian signals from entering its information realm?’
The warships were anchored in a cruise ship dock (Picture: via Reuters)
People watch Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov as it enters Havana on Wednesday (Picture: Reuters)
Dozens of Cubans and foreign tourists queued for the chance to go onboard the frigate.
One, Havana resident Ariel Vera, a 55-year-old state worker, said: ‘The United States need not worry.
‘Cuba is a country of peace and our Russian friends are coming on a friendly visit.’
Russia is a long-time ally of Venezuela and Cuba, and its warships and aircraft have periodically made forays into the Caribbean.
A diver works from Russian tug boat Nikolay Chiker, docked beside the submarine (Picture: Reuters)
The submarine pictured in Havana (Picture: Reuters)
But this mission comes less than two weeks after Biden finally lifted an embargo for Ukraine to use US-provided weapons to strike inside Russia to protect Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
In response, Putin threatened that his military could respond with ‘asymmetrical steps’ elsewhere in the world.
The sight of warships in Havana rekindled memories of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, which has long been seen as the moment the world came closest to a nuclear war between the US and the Soviet Union.
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