Moscow speaks out, US sends submarine near Cuba, Canada closely monitors

After the Russian warships docked in the Cuban capital Havana on June 12, Moscow asserted that there was no reason for any country, including the United States, to worry.

The US fast-attack submarine USS Helena was deployed to waters near the naval base in Guantánamo Bay. (Source: X)

On June 12, a frigate and a nuclear-powered submarine of the Russian navy docked in Havana (Cuba), expected to participate in joint exercises between Moscow and this long-standing ally in the Caribbean.

A day later, Reuters news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that it was completely normal for countries, including major maritime powers like Russia, to conduct military exercises.

Earlier, in an official announcement about the visit of the Russian warships, Cuba's Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) affirmed that the event "is in line with the historic friendship between Havana and Moscow" and complies with "international regulations" to which the Caribbean country is a member.

On June 13, on social network X, the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced that the fast-attack submarine USS Helena had arrived in waters near the US naval base in Guantánamo Bay, east of Cuba.

SOUTHCOM affirmed that this was a "routine visit" and that both the location and route of the submarine had been planned in advance.

Meanwhile, the Miami Herald quoted another source from the US as saying that US warships plan to follow Russian naval ships if they cross the Caribbean Sea and head towards Venezuela as planned.

Earlier, a US force of three destroyers, a coast guard ship and a maritime reconnaissance aircraft closely monitored the Russian fleet as it entered the Western Hemisphere and traveled less than 30 miles off the coast of Florida to Havana.

According to Marinetraffic.com , a website that uses open-source satellite data to track ships, at around 9 a.m. on June 13 (local time), the USS Donald Cook was about 30 nautical miles northeast of Havana Harbor and was still present in the area. Earlier that day, the US destroyer USS Truxtun was less than 60 nautical miles from the city of Matanzas (east of the capital Havana).

Also related to Moscow's move, CTV News reported that the Canadian Ministry of National Defense announced that it had dispatched an air force CP-140 Aurora aircraft and the HMCS Ville de Quebec ship to monitor the activities of the Russian fleet.

According to the ministry spokesperson, the Canadian Armed Forces, together with their US counterparts, regularly conduct operations (including at sea and in the air) in support of the North American defence mission.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tau-chien-nga-cap-cang-havana-moscow-len-tieng-my-dieu-tau-ngam-den-gan-cua-canada-theo-doi-sat-275002.html