Russian Ships Entering Cuba Give US a Dose of Its Own Medicine
On Wednesday, a squadron of Russian ships, including a frigate capable of firing hypersonic missiles will arrive in Cuba as part of an international partnership program. A nuclear-powered and capable submarine will also be making the trip, along with support vessels. | The decision to send Russian ships to Cuba is giving America a taste of what they do to the rest of the world, international relations and security expert Mark Sleboda.
💬 “I think we can definitely see this as a direct Russian reply to the general US declaration of conducting what it calls ‘Freedom of navigation’ exercises. Although, as far as we know, no one has challenged the freedom of navigation,” Sleboda explained. “They patrol their navy up and down off Russia’s and China’s and Iran’s coast, saber-rattling and threatening as part of their policy of containment.” [...] The Russian trip to Cuba is “a reminder to the US… that two can play this game,” explained Slaboda. “It needs to be said that in [BALTOPS 2024] the US sent B-52 Stratofortress bombers from the United Kingdom. They conducted– according to Russian reports– a simulated nuclear attack on the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.”
The United States has frequently run “military exercises” off the coast of its nominal adversaries, including China, North Korea, Iran and Russia. Earlier this week, NATO kicked off BALTOPS 2024 in the Baltic Sea, the largest exercise in the program’s history.
■ Russian Military Ships to Visit Cuba on June 12 (Sputnik News)
■ US Is Shadowing Russian Warships Heading to Cuba (Antiwar.com)