NATO warships escorted the Russian Navy as they conducted military drills en route to Cuba amid rising tensions with the West.
The Russian Defence Ministry said the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and the Kazan nuclear-powered submarine conducted the exercise that was intended to simulate a missile strike on a group of enemy ships. The ministry said the drills involved computer simulation of an attack on sea targets more than 600 kilometers (over 320 nautical miles) away.
The Admiral Gorshkov is armed with new Zircon hypersonic missiles. The weapon has been designed to arm Russian cruisers, frigates and submarines and could be used against both enemy ships and ground targets.
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The ministry said the drills involved computer simulation of an attack on sea targets (RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)Russian President Vladimir Putin has touted Zircon as a potent weapon capable of penetrating any existing anti-missile defenses by flying nine times faster than the speed of sound at a range of more than 620 miles. The Admiral Gorshkov and the Kazan are accompanied by two support vessels on their visit to Havana, which Cuban officials said reflected “historically friendly relations” between Russia and Cuba.
Putin accused of surrounding himself with same 'actors' at series of events
The Cuban Foreign Ministry said the Russian warships will be in Havana between Wednesday and June 17, noting that none will carry nuclear weapons and assuring their presence “does not represent a threat to the region.” The Cuban statement followed a U.S. announcement that Washington had been tracking Russian warships and aircraft that were expected to arrive in the Caribbean for a military exercise.
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The Cuban Foreign Ministry said the Russian warships will be in Havana between Wednesday and June 17, (RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)It’s not the first time Russia has sent its warships to the Caribbean, but this week’s visit follows Putin’s warning that Moscow could respond to Ukraine’s Western allies allowing Kyiv to use their weapons to strike targets in Russia by giving similar weapons to adversaries of the West worldwide. It comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed the country’s expanding relationship with Russia on Wednesday, as reports suggest that Russian President Vladimir Putin will soon visit the country for his third meeting with Kim.
Military, economic and other cooperation between North Korea and Russia have sharply increased since Kim visited Russia last September for a meeting with Putin. The U.S., South Korea and their partners believe North Korea has supplied artillery, missiles and other conventional weapons to Russia to support its war in Ukraine in return for advanced military technologies and economic aid.
Kim has been pushing to boost partnerships with Russia and China in a bid to strengthen his regional footing and launch a united front against the United States. During their September meeting at Russia’s main space launch site, Kim invited the Russian president to visit North Korea at “a convenient time,” and Putin accepted.
Russian Navy's 'Admiral Gorshkov' frigate personnel taking part in military drills in the Atlantic Ocean (RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)On Wednesday, Kim sent Putin a congratulatory message commemorating Russia’s National Day, according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency. “Thanks to the significant meeting between us at the Vostochney Spaceport in September last year, (North Korea)-Russia friendly and cooperative relations developed into an unbreakable relationship of comrades-in-arms,” Kim said in the message.
Kim’s comments came as media reports said Putin is expected to visit North Korea as early as next week. If realised, it would be their third summit meeting. Their first summit happened in Vladivostok in April 2019.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK, citing unidentified diplomatic sources including high-ranking Russian officials, reported Wednesday that Putin is preparing to visit North Korea and Vietnam next week. NHK said Putin is expected to seek stronger military ties with North Korea as Russia faces a shortage of weapons in its war with Ukraine, while North Korea is believed to want help with space technology in the wake of its recent failure to put a second spy satellite in orbit in late May.
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