A trio of war vessels from Russia’s Baltic Fleet arrived in Havana, Cuba, over the weekend, marking the second Russian fleet to visit the communist nation in less than two months. The training ship Smólny, patrol ship Neustrahimiy, and offshore oil tanker Yelnya are scheduled to stay in port until Tuesday, according to Russian state news agency Tass.
During their four-day “work visit,” the Russian crew will engage in an “extensive program” that includes courtesy visits with Cuban Navy officials and other high-ranking authorities of the Castro regime. The visitors will also have the opportunity to explore Havana and visit sites of historical and cultural significance, as announced by the Cuban Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.
Cuban defense officials hailed the arrival of the Russian warships as a “historical practice” and a demonstration of “friendship and collaboration” between the two nations. The purpose of the visit remains unclear, as neither government has provided further details. The Russian fleet was greeted with a 21-gun salute upon its arrival on Saturday.
The visit comes on the heels of a similar port call in June, when Russia sent the Admiral Gorshkov frigate, the nuclear submarine Kazan, and two accompanying vessels to Cuba after conducting naval exercises in the Caribbean Sea. The Russian embassy in Cuba noted that the arrival of the ships sparked interest among Havana residents, who gathered to greet the sailors.
The training ship Smólny will be open to the public on July 28-29, offering a glimpse into the inner workings of the Russian vessel. Castro regime officials have described the port call as part of a long-standing tradition between Cuba and friendly nations, although the exact nature of the visit remains shrouded in mystery.
A spokesperson for the US Northern Command downplayed the significance of the visit, stating that Russia’s deployments in the Atlantic pose no direct threat to the United States. However, the visit highlights the close ties between Russia and Cuba, with Russia providing significant financial support to the ailing Castro regime.
Reports have surfaced that Cuba is actively recruiting citizens to fight on behalf of Russia in Ukraine, with promises of fast-tracked Russian citizenship in exchange for their service. Despite claims by the Castro regime that it has dismantled alleged trafficking networks, Bloomberg reported that Russia continues to enlist Cubans through informal channels.
Cuba’s economic and humanitarian crisis has led the Castro regime to seek increased aid from Russia, which has responded by sending supplies such as cooking oil and wheat. Russian officials have pledged to provide a steady supply of hydrocarbons, fertilizers, and basic products to the communist-ruined nation. In that same month, Russia resumed its oil shipments to Cuba, which the Castro regime has employed in a desperate effort to ease ongoing fuel shortages and to keep its derelict power plants running.
In recent talks, officials from both regimes discussed the construction of a new oil refinery in Cuba, which would join the nation’s four existing refineries. Russian Duma Deputy Speaker Alexander Babakov emphasized the logic of producing oil products locally, given Cuba’s crude oil reserves, and suggested that Russian companies could participate in the project.
