US officials have minimized the significance of four Russian naval vessels arriving in Cuba on Wednesday for military exercises.
With current tensions with Moscow over the Ukrainian conflict, the visit of the vessels, including a nuclear-powered submarine and a frigate, has been viewed as a display of force.
“We of course take it seriously, but these exercises don’t pose a threat to the United States,” Sabrina Singh said yesterday in their official briefing.
Russia’s defense ministry reports that the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and the Kazan submarine can be equipped with advanced weapons, including Zircon hypersonic missiles. They previously conducted missile drills in the Atlantic.
Cuba’s foreign ministry states that none of the vessels are carrying nuclear arms, and their five-day visit does not present a threat to anyone .
On a cloudy and overcast morning, the Russian vessels arrived at Havana Bay, accompanied by smaller support vessels. They were greeted with a 21-gun salute.
Currently, the Russian ships are ninety miles from Florida, positioned just off the coast of Cuba.
Scott Ritter, former UN weapons inspector, appeared on “Judging Freedom,” hosted by Judge Napolitano, to discuss current events unfolding in our region.
“Russia is the most powerful nuclear nation in the world. Their weapons are more numerous and more capable. They have modernized their nuclear arsenal, they have cutting Edge technology, hypersonic maneuvering warheads, and giant delivery systems that can help them with multiple warheads and decoy systems, which turns warheads more dangerous, giving them the ability to circumvent any air defense systems the USA could put up.” He said during the interview.
“The Russians also have classes of missiles that we don’t have, like the Road Mobile missiles which are deployed in the vast expanse of Siberia which are virtually impossible to target after they are launched.” Ritter also added.
The former weapons inspector criticized the US for its role in the current escalation and praised Putin for avoiding further escalation in the conflict to prevent a nuclear disaster.
It’s important to note that these naval arrivals were likely arranged well in advance and were not an impromptu visit. However, their timing adds to the perceived dangers and potential for catastrophic nuclear conflict with Russia.
