The ships sent to the Caribbean region do not indicate Russian strength and power, but rather fulfill the mission of a demonstrative "cruise".
The task force of the Russian Navy, consisting of three ships and one submarine, sent by the Kremlin on a “visit” to Cuba, in the event of a “hot” confrontation with the Americans in the Caribbean region, would have lasted on the surface for a matter of minutes. The only thing that would have taken longer would have been with a Russian submarine.
As noted by Tom Sharp, an analyst for the British publication The Telegraph, “if for some reason it was necessary to destroy this group, one American or British nuclear submarine could do it without outside help.”
In this context, the observer recalled that the Russian fleet was defeated in the Black Sea by Ukraine, a state that actually does not have a navy.
According to the analyst, the ships sent to Cuba do not indicate Russian strength and power, but rather fulfill the mission of a demonstrative “cruise”.
“The Russian bear may not be toothless, but it has fewer teeth and claws than you might think,” writes The Telegraph.
What ships did Putin send to Cuba
The Russian Federation sent the Admiral Gorshkov missile frigate, the Yasen-class nuclear submarine Kazan, an oil tanker of Project 23130 and a rescue tug of Project R-5757 to Cuba.
A columnist for The Telegraph noted that the frigate Admiral Gorshkov is one of the first large warships built in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. According to him, it is well armed for its size: it can carry Kalibr long-range cruise missiles, Oniks anti-ship missiles, has the Answer anti-submarine system and 32 launch slots for Resurs anti-aircraft missiles.
“Adaptive missile tubes can also accommodate the much-touted Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile, which Vladimir Putin called unstoppable back in 2018. However, Putin also praised the Kinzhal missile, which has been stopped many times by American Patriot interceptors in Ukraine, and most likely the Tsirkons have also been stopped,” Tom Sharp wrote.
The Gorshkov also has large-caliber guns, close-range anti-aircraft guns, torpedo tubes and a helicopter. In general, as the observer noted, he would be happy to command such a ship, but Russia only has three Gorshkov-class frigates.
The Yasen-class submarine was completed only in 2014. It is powerful, stealthy and well-armed. These boats can carry Kalibr, Oniks, Tsirkon missiles and heavy torpedoes. Russia has four Yasen at sea and it is unlikely that this number will increase.
The oil tug is a fairly standard model. The only drawback is that the Russians still haven't learned how to refuel while moving in the open sea – they have to drop anchor to replenish fuel supplies. This greatly limits their capabilities and ability to remain on mission.
The presence of a rescue tugboat in the task force, according to the observer, indicates a seemingly justified distrust of the reliability of Russian ships.
Recall that the Russian naval group, consisting of three ships and a nuclear submarine, is visiting the port of Havana from June 12 to 17.
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