Russian warships headed to Caribbean for drills as tensions rise over Ukraine

Source: The Moscow Times

The U.S. has been actively tracking Russian warships and aircraft expected to arrive in the Caribbean for a military exercise in the coming weeks, marking a significant move by Russia as tensions continue to escalate over Western military support for Ukraine. This development, disclosed by U.S. officials on Wednesday, highlights Russia's strategic response to the ongoing conflict.

Russia's Military Presence in the Western Hemisphere

The planned exercises will see Russian ships making potential port calls in Venezuela and Cuba as Russia seeks to establish a military presence in the Western Hemisphere. Senior Biden administration officials have noted the significance of this deployment but have not expressed concern. According to two officials, the exercise, monitored by the U.S. military, will involve a "handful" of Russian ships and support vessels.

This is not the first instance of Russian naval activity in the Caribbean. However, the timing of this exercise is particularly noteworthy, coinciding with Russian President Vladimir Putin's hint at possible "asymmetrical steps" in response to President Joe Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons for strikes inside Russia. This move is part of a broader Russian strategy to respond to U.S. support for Ukraine and to demonstrate that its navy remains capable of global power projection despite significant losses in the Black Sea.

The Context of the Exercises

The backdrop of these exercises includes substantial losses suffered by the Russian navy. Ukrainian military officials reported in March that Russia had lost one-third of its Black Sea fleet to Ukrainian strikes over the past two years of war. This has likely influenced Russia to project strength by conducting exercises far from its borders. For instance, about 20 NATO countries, including the U.S., are set to begin BALTOPS 24, a major naval and air exercise in the Baltic region near Russia, this Friday.

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