Russian Warships to Arrive in Cuba Next Week
Russian Warships to Arrive in Cuba Next Week
The Facts
A group of Russian naval ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will visit Cuba next week Cuba’s Defense Ministry said in a statement, amid rising tensions with the US over the war in Ukraine.
A group of Russian naval ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will make a port call to Havana next week Cuba’s Defense Ministry said in a statement, amid rising tensions with the US over the war in Ukraine.
The Spin
It's not the first time that Russian warships are visiting Cuba, nor do the naval exercises pose an immediate threat. Moscow's primary goal is to prove that it's still capable of projecting its military power globally, and its failure to notify the US of the drills proves its hostile geopolitical posture. However, Moscow's aging fleet, already struggling to maintain operational readiness and conduct deployments, reveals that Russia is overestimating itself in its expansionist policy.
The Russian military drills are, first and foremost, a testament to the traditionally close and friendly Russia-Cuba ties. It would be ironic for the US to exaggerate the maneuvers, as it's the US that deploys its military around the globe at will to protect its so-called "rules-based order." Although the warships' presence poses no threat to the US, it's a powerful reminder that the world has entered a multipolar age and that the US, with its proxy wars, has never been more vulnerable.
