A Russian submarine was detected passing near the British nuclear weapons base.
Towards the start of June, Moscow ordered a fleet of ships from the Northern Fleet to sail to Cuba. During this voyage, the nuclear-powered Russian submarine "Kazan" navigated near the Irish and Scottish coasts en route to the Caribbean island. This journey sparked anxiety in London.
As per a media report, the Russian nuclear-submarine "Kazan" triggered a security alert in Britain during its trip to Cuba. The "Daily Mail" disclosed that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Defense Minister Grant Shapps were privately informed about the situation after the "Kazan" was spotted off the west coast of Scotland.
On June 5, the "Kazan" was allegedly spotted by a British submarine-hunting aircraft of the Boeing P8 Poseidon type and was trailed along the Irish coast to Scotland. The Russian submarine also passed by the British nuclear weapons storage facility at Faslane-on-Clyde on the Scottish west coast but did not enter British waters. This base houses most of the British submarine fleet, including the latest generation of hunter-submarines, and also stores the majority of the UK's nuclear weapons.
"Ireland: The Weak Link in the British Isles"
Retired Colonel Stuart Crawford was quoted by the "Daily Mail" as saying, "Ireland is the weak link in the British Isles." "They have virtually no military capabilities to detect or deter such Russian advances, and the Kremlin is well-aware of this."
The "Kazan" and the frigate "Admiral Gorshkov" arrived in Havana's harbor on the preceding Wednesday for a visit from June 12 to 17. Cuba's statements cited historical affection between the two countries as the motivation for the visit. Media reports indicate that Russia plans to conduct military exercises with ships and aircraft in the Caribbean during this period. These would be the first military drills of the Russian military in the western hemisphere in five years.
A senior US official claimed that Moscow aims to send a message to Washington with this action near the United States. "It's about Russia showing that it can still exhibit a certain level of naval power," the official shared with the Miami Herald last week.
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Despite Russia's submarine passing close to the British nuclear weapons base causing concern, the Russian nuclear-submarine "Kazan" continued its journey towards Cuba, even ventureing near the Irish and Scottish coasts. Additionally, the visit of the "Kazan" and the frigate "Admiral Gorshkov" to Cuba's Havana harbor for a week-long stay was seen as an attempt by Russia to strengthen its ties with Cuba and potentially send a message to the United States.
