Advanced Russian warship armed with cruise missiles docks in Havana's harborOne of the Russian Navy’s most advanced warships has docked at a port in Havana’s harbor.
Armed with cruise missiles, air deference systems and other weapons, the Admiral Gorshkov -- which pulled into Cuba's capital Monday -- is the first ship in a new class of frigates intended to replace aging Soviet-era destroyers to project power far away from Russian shores.
It is accompanied by the multifunctional logistics vessel Elbrus, the medium sea tanker Kama and the rescue tug Nikolai Chiker, the Russian Navy says.
The naval group was greeted with a 21-gun salute from Cuban forces stationed at the entrance to the Bay of Havana. The Gorshkov -- which entered service last year -- responded with its own salute.
As U.S.-Russian relations have sunk to some of the lowest levels since the Cold War, Moscow has been considering further steps to boost its global presence. An air base and a naval facility in Syria are currently Russia's only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union but Russian military officials have talked repeatedly about plans to negotiate deals for Russian warships and aircraft to use foreign ports and air bases.
Russia's armed forces have received hundreds of new warplanes and dozens of warships in recent years as part of a sweeping military modernization program.
The Admiral Gorshov -- following its stop in Cuba -- is scheduled to make calls at several more Caribbean ports, Russia's Navy said, without elaborating.
This occurring about a month after Russia pulled about a thousand soldiers and several ships from Venezuela, for reasons of bills unpaid by the Venezuelan government.
As cited earlier, about a month ago, Maduro was prepared to leave Venezuela and prepared to do so. It was Russians forces there at the tiume who persuaded him to stay.
Just as Kim Jong Un a few months prior was prepared to make a deal, and the Chinese similarly persuaded him to walk away from negotiations.
Venezuela is a beachead for both the Russians and the Chinese in this hemisphere.
