A detachment from Russia’s Northern Fleet completed a series of precision missile exercises in the Atlantic and then moved to Havana for an official visit scheduled from June 12 to June 17. The frigate Admiral Gorshkov, the nuclear submarine Kazan, the tanker Akademik Pashin, and the ocean rescue tug Nikolai Chiker anchored in the Cuban capital.
Admiral Gorshkov, leading the four-ship formation, fired a 21-gun salute upon entering port in Cuba. In response, an 18th century colonial fort overlooking the harbor fired a ceremonial cannon volley, a vivid echo of the port’s historical defenses.
What kind of ships?
The Kazan is a modern multipurpose nuclear submarine (project 885M Yasen-M). It features ten 533 mm torpedo tubes angled along the hull and eight vertical launch silos that can carry cruise missiles such as 3M55 Oniks, 3M22 Zircon, or 3M14 Kalibr-PL, depending on the mission.
In the United States, a comparable class for discussion is the Virginia-class multipurpose submarine. The US Navy operates about 25 of these submarines today and plans to increase the fleet further. Russia has five Yasen-M submarines in active service.
Admiral Gorshkov is a project 22350 multi purpose frigate. It serves as a carrier of guided missiles for operations across remote seas and open ocean. It belongs to the 43rd missile carrier division of the Northern Fleet. The hull displacement is modest for a combat vessel, averaging around 4500 tons and rising to about 5400 tons when loaded.
Gorshkov carries 16 vertical launch cells for missiles such as the Calibr-NK family, Onyx, and Zircon guided weapons for anti ship and land attack roles.
One can draw a rough parallel with a U.S. Navy contender, the Constellation-class guided missile frigates formerly designated FFG(X). The Constellation ships are larger, with about 6700 tons displacement, and include a sizeable vertical launch capacity to accommodate ESSM, SM family missiles, and RAM system cells. The first unit was designated FFG-62, with construction initiated in August 2022, and plans call for steady production to eventually reach around twenty ships overall.
Standard practice?
CNN frames the Caribbean visit in the context of rising tensions between Washington and Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. The five days in Cuba are described as a visible display of military capability, occurring roughly 90 miles from Florida.
Commentators note that Russia’s move places itself in a charged geopolitical moment, especially as U.S. policy evolves in response to ongoing regional challenges. A Kremlin spokesperson characterized these port calls as routine and not a cause for concern, pointing to maritime visits as common practice among major naval powers.
Cuban authorities echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that visits by foreign naval units have long been part of cooperative relations and should not threaten regional stability. They stressed that Russia did not deploy nuclear weapons on its ships bound for Cuba.
U.S. defense officials have monitored the exercises and transport, signaling routine observation rather than immediate threat. The defense apparatus has historically welcomed such port visits that stress public diplomacy and alliance-building, even as it maintains vigilance over regional security dynamics. Cuba has hosted Russian ships in previous years, reflecting ongoing friendship and cooperation in maritime matters.
Are such demonstrations necessary?
The deployed group includes four ships, with support vessels in the mix, conducting precision missile exercises in Atlantic waters. The central question asks whether large-scale naval demonstrations fit during a period when national forces are focused on other operations. Yet a strategic perspective suggests that a major maritime power seeks to preserve influence across key seas and oceans, leveraging a robust ocean navy as a symbol of reach and power.
Speculation points to a broader vision, one that envisions routes to the Atlantic that bypass traditional European channels. In the Sahel region, allies have been established through recent political changes, hinting at potential long-term corridors linking Africa with the Americas. If pursued, such a network could expand the naval and air mobility footprint across global chokepoints and major sea lines of communication.
Even so, many observers concur that current talk remains speculative. The immediate aim appears to be strengthening naval logistics and transport capabilities that support long-range operations. The North-South corridor and related maritime routes would hinge on a reliable fleet capable of sustaining operations far from home waters.
In both scenarios, naval, long-range, and military transport aviation will play a growing role. Maintaining dominance for a national fleet in the Arabian Sea, the South Atlantic, and along the eastern African coast becomes a strategic objective, shaping future deployments and training. The present Caribbean visit thus reads as a step toward broader, longer-term maritime ambitions, even if the final scale remains uncertain.
The discussion here reflects an interpretation rather than a fixed forecast. The topic invites continued analysis as events unfold in international waters and diplomatic channels. The perspective offered is shared as commentary rather than a definitive plan.