The Russian military frigate “Admiral Gorshkov“ and the nuclear submarine “Kazan“ conducted missile exercises in the Atlantic Ocean en route to Cuba, Reuters reported, citing the Russian Ministry of Defense, BTA reported.
The drills involved firing high-precision missiles at targets at a distance of more than 600 kilometers, the statement released today said. In recent days “Admiral Gorshkov“ also conducted an air strike coverage exercise, the ministry said.
A total of four Russian warships are scheduled to arrive in Cuba tomorrow. Last week, the Caribbean state said such visits were standard practice for the navies of friendly countries, and that the ships did not carry nuclear weapons and did not pose a threat to the region.
However, the visit will be watched closely by the United States at a time of heightened tensions with Russia over the war in Ukraine, Reuters notes.
The United States does not see the move as threatening, but its navy will monitor the exercises, a US official told reporters last week. “It is about Russia showing that it is still capable of projecting global power to some degree,” he said.