A fleet of Russian warships has left the port of Havana after a five-day visit to Cuba, following planned military exercises.
The ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine and a destroyer, were anchored in Havana Bay – about 90 miles (145km) from the US state of Florida.
The US said it did not consider the visit a threat but added that they were closely monitoring the vessels.
Following the fleet’s arrival, the US docked the submarine USS Helena at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba on Thursday.
Locals waved Russian flags as Russian ships left on Monday.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel visited the frigate – part of the fleet – on Saturday and interacted with sailors, according to a post by the president on X.
Cuba’s Foreign Ministry said no ships carried nuclear weapons and the visit did not pose a threat to the region.
However, the Russian Ministry of Defense said the destroyer Admiral Gorshkov and the submarine Kazan are both ships carrying advanced weapons, including Zircon hypersonic missiles. They previously conducted missile exercises in the Atlantic Ocean.
The visit is an important symbol of support for the communist government in Cuba and its socialist ally, Venezuela, where the warships can go next after finishing in Havana.
Russia has sent warships to Cuba in the past and the two countries are long-standing allies – but the timing of these special exercises remains unclear.
Taking place amid growing tensions over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the operation is being interpreted by some as a threat by Moscow.
