A Russian warship entered Cuban territorial waters on Wednesday in preparation for military exercises in the Caribbean.
Rebecca Kofler, a strategic intelligence analyst and author of “The Putin Playbook,” said the deployment was likely a warning after Biden authorized Ukrainian forces to use U.S. weapons to attack some targets in Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin is telling Washington, “We can hit you,” Kofler said.
“Given President Biden’s recognition of Ukraine, President Putin wants to be closer to the U.S. mainland at this time of rapid escalation of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. If something goes wrong and Ukraine attacks a key target close to a major Russian city, Russian forces could enable Cuba to attack targets in the U.S. or attack U.S. interests,” she said.
Three Russian warships arrived in Cuba’s Havana Bay on Wednesday and were greeted with a 21-gun salute, followed by a nuclear submarine. Russia says the Kazan submarine does not have nuclear weapons.
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The frigate Admiral Gorshkov, part of a Russian naval convoy visiting Cuba, arrived in the port of Havana on June 12, 2024. (Getty Images)
The ships’ arrival came after Putin suggested he might authorize attacks on the United States through proxies, which he said is exactly what the U.S. is doing in Ukraine.
Biden claims he has known Putin for “more than 40 years,” dating back to when he worked as a KGB agent.
“Above all, this warship is a reminder to Washington that it is uncomfortable for its enemies to meddle in its neighbors’ affairs,” said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America program at the Wilson Center, a Washington-based think tank. “It also reminds Russia’s friends in the region, such as U.S. foes Cuba and Venezuela, that Moscow is on their side.”
The ships’ arrival came after Putin suggested he might authorize attacks on the United States through proxies, which he said is exactly what the U.S. is doing in Ukraine. (Alexey Babushkin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool photo)
Last week, Putin directly threatened to supply weapons to America’s neighbors.
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“if [the U.S.] “If Russia thinks it is possible to bring such weapons into a war zone to attack our territory and cause problems for us, why don’t we have the right to supply some parts of the world with the same type of weapons that can be used to attack sensitive facilities of countries that launch attacks against Russia?” he asked.
In late May, President Biden authorized Ukraine to use American missiles to attack targets on Russian territory. (Hannah Beyer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Biden in late May authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-made missiles to strike targets on Russian territory. Ukraine has been struggling in a war of attrition with Russian forces and has failed to make a breakthrough in counterattacks. Biden also authorized the use of U.S.-supplied weapons by Ukraine’s controversial Azov Battalion, which has neo-Nazi roots and has been a central focus of Russian propaganda about the Ukrainian government.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
