American submarine USS Helena docks in Guantanamo amid Russian drills

Russian ships—a frigate, a nuclear-powered submarine, a tanker, and a rescue tugboat—passed through Havana Bay on Wednesday. USS Helena arrived there as a show of strength in response to the military exercises of Russian ships in the Caribbean region.

USS Helena is a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine. As the U.S. military authorities explained in a social media post, its presence in Guantanamo Bay is part of a "routine port visit." Other American ships are also tracking and monitoring Russian exercises, which, according to the Pentagon, do not threaten America.

Cuban authorities announced last week that four Russian ships would pay an "official visit to the port of Havana" from June 12-17. The visit follows completed exercises with "the use of precision missile weapons," which the Russians conducted in the Atlantic. The communiqué emphasized the "historically friendly relations" between Russia and Cuba. Havana assured that the ships were not transporting nuclear weapons.

AP notes that the exercises come less than two weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use American weapons to attack Russia in defense of Kharkiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin then suggested that his military might respond with "asymmetrical steps" elsewhere.

Singh believes it would not be surprising to see more Russian activity around the United States during these types of exercises, which are taking place in international waters. U.S. authorities predict that Russian ships will remain in the region through the summer and may reach Venezuela as well.

As a long-time ally of Venezuela and Cuba, Russia sends warships and aircraft that periodically penetrate the Caribbean area. In 2015, a reconnaissance communication vessel arrived unexpectedly in Havana a day before the talks between American and Cuban officials about reopening diplomatic relations.