The arrival of a float of Russian Navy ships in Cuba, prominently featuring the Yasen-M class nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, has elicited a series of responses from the United States Navy (US Navy). In addition to the deployment of destroyers and P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, the US has confirmed the presence of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Helena (SSN-725) in Guantanamo.
As reported, the float of Russian Navy ships arrived on June 12, at the port of Havana, Cuba. This group includes some of the most modern surface combatants and submarines currently in service with the Northern Fleet, namely the missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov (the lead ship of its class, Project 22350) and Kazan (K-561), one of the four units in service of the modern Project 885/885M class, also known as the Yasen/Yasen-M class.
Beyond the number and type of assets deployed in Cuba, the dispatch of this float by Russia to the Caribbean Sea aims to demonstrate the significant power projection capabilities of the Russian Navy, sending a strong deterrent message to potential adversaries.
The presence of the float generated the deployment of various US Navy surface and air assets, complemented by ships and aircraft from the US Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy. Additionally, as officially communicated by the Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), the presence of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Helena (SSN-725) of the Los Angeles class has been confirmed.
The novelty of the USSOUTHCOM’s official communication lies in the rare disclosure of the position of attack submarines, let alone ballistic submarines, during operations by the US Armed Forces. In the message released moments ago by Southern Command, it states: “The fast attack submarine USS Helena is in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as part of a routine port visit while transiting the US Southern Command area of responsibility, conducting its global maritime security and national defense mission. The location and transit of the vessel were previously planned.”
These developments, both the Russian deployment in Cuba and the confirmation of the USS Helena’s presence in Guantanamo, can be seen as exchanged signals between Moscow and Washington during a time when tension and escalation in Europe show no signs of easing between the two nuclear powers. Among the recent significant events is the authorization given to the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use various Western weapons against targets within Russian territory near the Ukrainian border. Regardless of whether the presence of the US submarine in Guantanamo was planned in advance, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that coincidences do not exist, only the inevitable.
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