Canadian Military Monitors Russian Naval Flotilla in Cuba

The Canadian military is actively monitoring the presence of Russian navy vessels, including a nuclear-powered submarine, currently docked in Cuba. The Department of National Defence (DND) confirmed to Global News that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are tracking the movements and activities of the Russian naval flotilla.

A Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora plane and the HMCS Ville de Québec have been deployed to observe the activities of the Russian flotilla.

The naval group, consisting of a submarine and a frigate armed with hypersonic, cruise, and anti-ship missiles, arrived in Havana on Wednesday. This follows the arrival of a tugboat and a fuel ship.

The arrival of the Russian flotilla in Cuba is perceived as a demonstration of Kremlin’s power amid heightened tensions due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Russian defense ministry informed Reuters that the flotilla conducted “high-precision missile weapons” training in the Atlantic Ocean prior to docking in Havana. Both the Cuban and U.S. governments have confirmed that the fleet does not carry nuclear weapons.

White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan downplayed the significance of the Russian naval exercises, stating they were routine and posed no threat. The U.S. has been monitoring the vessels, which sailed along the Florida coast, asserting they do not pose a direct threat.

The Russian vessels are expected to stay in Cuba until June 17, coinciding with a scheduled visit by the Canadian navy frigate HMCS Margaret Brooke from June 14-17. According to a Canadian Joint Operations Command Facebook post, this visit is a recognition of the long-standing bilateral relationship between Canada and Cuba.

The DND emphasized that monitoring the approaches to North America is a routine part of their mandate to defend Canada and the continent. When asked if there had been any changes in alert statuses or communication with Russia regarding the flotilla, the DND did not provide additional comments.

The presence of the Russian naval flotilla in Cuba underscores ongoing global maritime tensions and the vigilant monitoring by Canadian and U.S. forces to ensure regional security.