In a rare move, the U.S. military announced on Thursday that the USS Helena, a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine, is making a routine port visit to the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The visit coincides with the arrival of a Russian nuclear submarine and several frigates to the port of Havana for an official port call on Wednesday.
According to a statement from U.S. Southern Command, the USS Helena’s visit was “previously planned” and is part of its transit through the command’s geographic area of responsibility. However, the timing of the visit has drawn attention due to the Russian fleet’s presence in the Caribbean, which sailed close to the Florida coast before arriving in Havana.
The Russian flotilla is expected to make stops in Venezuela and conduct military exercises in the Caribbean. Both the U.S. and Canada monitored the fleet’s journey to Cuba, deploying several ships and a reconnaissance plane to track their movements, as reported by CNN.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan addressed the situation, stating that while the visit is “something we watch closely, carefully,” similar port calls have occurred in the past. He also noted that there was no indication of arms transfers between Cuba and Russia during this visit.
Despite Sullivan’s comments, the Russian deployment has prompted outcries from Republicans, who argue that the Kremlin’s move demonstrates the Biden administration’s weak foreign policy. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has previously vowed to use “asymmetrical tactics against the West” in response to Washington and other allies’ decision to allow Ukraine to use Western-made munitions against targets in Russian territory.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) criticized the administration on Fox News, stating, “when you have a president who is weak, every bad guy on the globe is on the march and that is why we’re seeing, for example, Russian ships off Cuba with hypersonic weapons testing missiles just 90 miles off the coast of Florida.”
The deployment of the USS Helena to Guantanamo Bay amid the Russian military exercises in the Caribbean highlights the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Russia, as well as the potential for increased military posturing in the region. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the Biden administration will navigate the complex geopolitical landscape and address concerns raised by Republicans regarding the perceived strength of U.S. foreign policy.
Credit: Politico
