Russian warships carrying new hypersonic missiles practice while traveling to Cuba

The nuclear-powered submarine of the Russian Navy arrived in Havana on Wednesday morning, as announced by the Ministry of the Armed Forces (MINFAR) of the Cuban regime. The vessel will be accompanied by three other ships during its stay on the island, which will last five days, until Monday 17.

In an attempt to project power in the midst of tensions with the West over Ukraine, Russian warships performed maneuvers in the Atlantic, the military said on Tuesday, while en route to Cuba.

Simulating a missile strike on a group of enemy ships, the drill was carried out by the nuclear-powered Kazan submarine and the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

According to the ministry, the exercises included simulating an attack using computers on sea targets that were more than 600 kilometers (more than 320 nautical miles) distant.

Zircon hypersonic missiles are the latest weaponry equipped to Admiral Gorshkov. The weapon, which could be deployed against enemy ships as well as ground targets, was created to arm Russian cruisers, frigates, and submarines.

Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, has bragged about Zircon as a powerful weapon that can go over 1,000 kilometers (more than 620 miles) at a speed of nine times the speed of sound, breaching any anti-missile systems now in place.

KEY POINTS

• The Admiral Gorshkov frigate is armed with new Zircon hypersonic missiles that Russian President Vladimir Putin has touted as a potent weapon capable of penetrating any existing anti-missile defenses. The Admiral Gorshkov and a Kazan nuclear-powered submarine are accompanied by two support vessels on their visit to Havana which Cuban officials said reflected “historically friendly relations” between Russia and Cuba.
• It’s not the first time Russia has sent warships to the Caribbean, but this week’s visit follows Putin’s warning that Moscow could respond to Ukraine’s Western allies allowing Kyiv to use their weapons to strike targets in Russia by giving similar weapons to adversaries of the West worldwide.
• The Admiral Gorshkov and the Kazan are accompanied by two support vessels on their visit to Havana, which Cuban officials said reflected “historically friendly relations” between Russia and Cuba.