Inquiries and Replies - Russian submarine arrives in Havana, raising concerns of a potential new Cuban Missile Crisis.
What's Russia up to in the Caribbean?
Word from the Cuban government says that from June 12 to 17, Russia plans to send four of its vessels to Havana for a friendly visit. We're talking about a frigate ("Admiral Gorshkov"), a nuclear sub ("Kasan"), an oil tanker, and a salvage ship. No nukes on board, so no cause for alarm there. Just maintaining their historic relationship with Cuba, they say.
But wait, there's more. The Miami Herald, a US paper, spilled some tea yesterday. They report that Russia's got plans for some military exercises in the Caribbean. What makes these exercises a big deal? Well, not since the Ukrainian crisis have we seen the Russian military engage in these kinds of drills, complete with both air and sea power. And they were supposed to dock at the Cuban and Venezuelan ports, both of whom are pals with Russia.
What's the problem?
The Uncle Sams see this as sending a message to unsettle America. These Cuban waters are just 170 kilometers away from Key West, Florida.
Remember the good old days when the USSR and Cuba were tight? This was back in the cold war days, where Cuba was a strong ally. This link led to a real scare in 1962 known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. See, the US had intel on some earthworks that were being constructed in Cuba to allow Soviet intermediate-range missiles - missiles that could smash Washington, D.C. in a jiffy - and they weren't happy.
To avoid World War III, President John F. Kennedy popped up a naval blockade around Cuba and issued an ultimatum. The Russians agreed to yank their missiles back while the Americans returned the ones they had in Turkey. Surely sounds like a close call, right?
How's this similar to 1962?
Ever since Russia got into its squabble with Ukraine, it's been looking for more trading partners. Russia's been making nice with Cuba again, an ex-Soviet state. Take a trip back to November 2022, when head honcho Miguel Díaz-Canel visited Putin in the Kremlin. He promised Russia his full support in the fight against Western powers and didn't say a word against the invasion.
Díaz-Canel's not alone in this newfound solidarity. When Putin upped the stakes in Kharkiv, the US, Germany, and pals slipped Ukraine the green light to use their weapons on Russian border targets. Though Biden clearly stated they weren't to be used on Moscow or any other parts of Russia.
What the States heard was that the decision approved counter-attacks to defend Kharkiv. Putin threw a tantrum and threatened to start passing weapons to other countries, who could then point them at the West.
This situation took on the mantle of "Cuban Missile Crisis 2.0" with rumors of a nuclear sub bound for Cuba being equipped with nukes - a claim backed by the Cuban Foreign Ministry. Unlike the last time, someone from the US State Department told Munz, a defense expert, that while Russia's ships are here, they're not a direct threat to the US. So no need to tense up expectantly.
Read also:
- Given the military exercises Russia is planning in the Caribbean, some analysts have drawn parallels to the Cuban Missile Crisis involving Vladimir Putin and the USA, recalling the tension between the USSR and the USA during that time.
- The presence of a Russian nuclear submarine in Havana, along with the upcoming military exercises, has ignited fears of a potential new Cuban Missile Crisis, reminiscent of the 1962 event involving USA and Russia, where intermediate-range missiles threatened to escalate tensions.
- During the Cold War era, Cuba was a strong ally to the USSR, just as it is now with Russia, leading to concerns within the USA about the potential militarization of the region, similar to the efforts made by Russia during the Cuban Missile Crisis to install intermediate-range missiles in Cuba, threatening American security.
