Russian warships arrived in the Cuban capital Havana for a port visit, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
The frigate "Admiral Gorshkov" was met with a 21-gun salute as it approached the Caribbean nation's shores, local media reported. A nuclear submarine was also spotted off the coast.
Havana is located only about 170 km from the island of Key West, near the American state of Florida. According to the Cuban government, the reason for the visit from June 12 to 17 is the historical friendship between the two countries. However, American media reported that Russia is planning military exercises in the Caribbean.
A Russian supply tanker and rescue tug are also expected to arrive in Havana. Neither ship is said to have nuclear weapons on board.
US President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said today on a flight to Italy for the G7 summit that Russian naval operations off Cuba have been observed in the past, but stressed that the government of the US monitors these very carefully.
It can be assumed that Russia will repeat similar actions in the future, he added.
According to the American newspaper "Miami Herald" The US Navy has dispatched three destroyers, a Coast Guard ship and a maritime surveillance aircraft to monitor the Russian vessels.
There are elements in this exercise that differ from previous ones, Sullivan said. But this is not the first time that Russian naval units have visited the port of Havana.