Cruise ship passengers were left gobsmacked after catching sight of Russian warships from their cabin windows - sparking a stern warning from a top defence expert.
Holidaymakers on the cruise vessel were stunned to see six Russian ships cruising by in broad daylight off the Florida coast. "I just happened to look outside and I saw one of the ships, so I went outside to investigate," one traveller shared with CNN. "I could see six ships at one time across the horizon. There have been ships in sight most of the day. I was surprised how close they are, we are not that far off shore."
This alarming encounter occurred as NATO vessels are shadowing a Russian naval group believed to be heading for Cuba. The fleet being monitored includes US Navy powerhouses USS Truxtun and USS Donald Cook, alongside Piedra CG (758), Canada's HMCS Ville de Quebec (FFH 332), France's high seas patrol craft Teriieroo A Teriierooiterai (P780), and the Frigate La Fayette (FS Guepratte F714).
The Russian flotilla has been flexing its muscles with exercises in the Atlantic, underscoring Russia's resolve to extend its military reach amid heightened friction with Western nations over the Ukraine crisis, reports the Express. Defence pundit Nicholas Drummond spoke of his concern: "It's a big mistake to antagonise and play nuclear blackmail with the US. A huge mistake. It's likely to galvanise US support for Ukraine on an increased level. In other words, it's a massive own goal."
But Dr Stepan Stepanenko, director of Forward Strategy consultancy, has played down the Russian military threat. He said: "These visits underscore the deepening military and economic cooperation between Russia and Cuba, especially as the island nation increasingly relies on Russian support amid its worst economic crisis in decades.
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"The reality behind these deployments, however, reveals a much less formidable picture of Russian naval power. The Russian navy, once a symbol of Soviet might, now often finds itself mired in mechanical failures and operational inefficiencies." He pointed out the embarrassing incident involving the Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia's only aircraft carrier, which suffered a breakdown in the English Channel in 2018, emitting a trail of black smoke that belied its intended image of strength.
Dr Stepanenko further explained that Cuba's hosting of Russian vessels is a key part of its military strategy due to the geopolitical isolation it faces. "Decades of economic sanctions and political ostracism from the West have driven Cuba into the arms of Russia, a relationship that benefits Moscow by allowing it a foothold close to US shores," he commented. "Yet, the fact that this is only the second such fleet deployment to the island in many years highlights both the fragility of the relationship and the dire state of the Russian fleet, ostensibly unable to conduct such operations regularly.
"It's time to rethink our approach to Cuba. The collective West's economic and political campaign against Cuba's repressive government has yielded little change. Instead, a more effective strategy would involve appealing directly to the Cuban people, who are increasingly disillusioned with their pseudo-communist regime. Encouraging and supporting democratic change on the island would not only improve the lives of its citizens but also remove the allure of a Russian alliance."
In a show of military might, the Russian Defence Ministry announced that the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and the Kazan nuclear-powered submarine were involved in an exercise simulating a missile strike on a group of enemy ships. The drill was a computer simulation aimed at targets over 372 miles away.
The Admiral Gorshkov is a key asset in Russia's naval power, now armed with the state-of-the-art Zircon hypersonic missiles. These formidable weapons, which can be fitted onto Russian cruisers, frigates, and submarines, have the capability to strike both maritime and land targets.
President Vladimir Putin has been vocal about the prowess of the Zircon missiles, noting their ability to evade any current missile defence systems due to their speed, which is nine times the speed of sound, and their impressive range of over 1,000 kilometres. Joining the Admiral Gorshkov and Kazan on their voyage are two auxiliary vessels, all heading to Havana in what Cuban officials call a testament to the "historically friendly relations" between Russia and Cuba.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry has confirmed that the Russian warships, docked in Havana from Wednesday until June 17, are not carrying any nuclear weapons and pose no threat to the region.
This comes after Putin's warning that Moscow could arm Western adversaries if Ukraine's allies permit Kyiv to use their weapons against targets in Russia. This is not the first time Russia has sent warships to the Caribbean, but the timing of this visit is noteworthy.
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