The sleeping bear wakes
Russia is sending a naval detachment to Cuba next week for military exercises, a move reminiscent of the Cuban Missile Crisis, which will likely exacerbate tensions with the U.S. amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Cuba’s military announced in a Friday press release that the Russian naval vessels will visit the port of Havana from Wednesday to June 17.
The Russian detachment includes a frigate, a nuclear-powered submarine, an oil tanker, and a tugboat, according to Cuba.
“This visit corresponds to the historical friendly relations between Cuba and the Russian Federation,” Cuban officials said in the release, emphasizing that the visit adheres to international regulations.
“None of the ships carry nuclear weapons, so their stopover in our country does not represent a threat to the region.”
The Russian naval group will also visit Venezuela and participate in military exercises, U.S. officials told ABC News.
Why’s this happening?
This deployment to the Caribbean is seen as part of the Kremlin’s response to strained relations with the U.S. over the war in Ukraine and a demonstration of naval power after Ukrainian forces have repeatedly sunk Russian ships in the Black Sea and forced them out of the western part of those waters.
The upcoming deployment follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent statement to international journalists, indicating he is considering providing weapons to nations hostile to the U.S. and Western allies.
This comes after Washington gave Ukraine permission to strike into Russia with American-made weapons to defend the northeastern Kharkiv region.
A new cold war?
The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 was a 13-day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union that brought the world perilously close to nuclear war.
On October 14, 1962, American U-2 spy planes photographed Soviet missile sites under construction in Cuba.
This discovery alarmed U.S. President John F. Kennedy and led to high-level discussions on how to respond.
Kennedy addressed the nation on October 22, announcing the discovery of the missiles and imposing a naval blockade around Cuba to prevent further Soviet shipments of military equipment.
Over the next week, the world watched as the two superpowers negotiated intensely. The crisis peaked on October 27 when a U.S. U-2 spy plane was shot down over Cuba, and both sides were on high alert.
Finally, on October 28, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba in exchange for a U.S. public declaration and agreement not to invade Cuba, along with a secret deal to remove U.S. missiles from Turkey.
Today’s situation, while different in specifics, similarly brings into focus the delicate balance of power and the potential for escalating conflict between major global powers.
Stay tuned to the Fairview Gazette.
