BTN News: Cuba and Russia continue to strengthen their ties. The Cuban government announced that ships from the Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet will visit Havana soon. This visit will take place between July 27 and July 30, showing the friendship between the two nations.
The Ministry of the Armed Forces (Minfar) reported that the Russian flotilla will have the training ship Smolny, the patrol ship Neustrashimy, and the tanker Yelnya. This visit follows Cuba’s tradition of welcoming naval ships from friendly countries. It shows Cuba’s historical practice of hosting such visits.
During their stay, the Russian sailors will be busy. They will make courtesy visits and see various historical and cultural landmarks in Havana. The Cuban public can also tour the Smolny on Sunday, July 28, and Monday, July 29.
This visit is not the only one this year. On June 12, another Russian naval squadron visited Havana. This squadron included the frigate Gorshkov, the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, the fleet oiler Pashin, and the salvage tug Nikolai Chiker. The arrival of these ships excited many locals.
These visits have become more common in recent years. Russian flotillas also visited in June 2019 and earlier in 2013. These visits are part of a broader plan to strengthen Cuba and Russia’s long-lasting political, military, and economic relations. This relationship grew more after Cuban President Miguel DÃaz-Canel’s visit to Russia in November 2022, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Since then, high-level visits between the two countries have increased. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Havana twice, in April 2023 and February this year. The most recent visit was this week from Viacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma. He held important talks with President DÃaz-Canel, showing the importance of these bilateral ties.
Russia is one of Cuba’s top ten trading partners. Both governments describe their partnership as strategic. This strong relationship shows the long-lasting bonds formed through shared history and common interests in various areas, including defense, trade, and cultural exchanges.
As these naval visits continue, they show the ongoing commitment to deepening cooperation and friendship between Cuba and Russia. The upcoming visit of the Baltic Fleet ships is an important event. It shows the growing international relations in the Caribbean and beyond.
