Yesterday, the Cuban Defense Ministry, known as the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, announced that a group of Russian warships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will pay an official visit to Cuba next week, reported RT. The ministry said that a total of four Russian vessels, including the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, oil tanker Pashin, and rescue tug Nikolay Chiker, will visit the island from June 12-17.
“None of the ships carries nuclear weapons, so their stopover in our country does not pose a threat to the region,” the officials said, adding that the visit to the island “corresponds to the historically friendly relations between Cuba and the Russian Federation and strictly adheres to the international regulations.” According to the ministry, the Russians will conduct a program of activities during their stay, including courtesy visits to the head of the Revolutionary Navy and the governor of Havana, and visits to places of historical and cultural interest. When the group arrives at the Port of Havana, one of the ships will fire a 21-gun salute, the statement added.
White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby told CNN yesterday that, while the U.S. will closely follow the visit, it does not anticipate “any significant national security threat as a result of these exercises.” He went on to suggest that the visit—which he described as “not typical” but pre-scheduled—could be Moscow’s signal to Washington that it is “unhappy” with its efforts to support Ukraine.
