Cuba, Russia Envisage Technical-Navy Cooperation

Allies Cuba and Russia, each targets of Western sanctions, intend to pursue nearer “technical-military” cooperation, the communist island’s authorities mouthpiece mentioned Wednesday.

The plan was mentioned throughout a go to Tuesday by Armed Forces Minister Alvaro Lopez Miera to Moscow, the place he met counterpart Sergei Shoigu, newspaper Granma reported.

Granma quoted Shoigu as telling Lopez Miera that “Russia plans to collectively develop with Cuba a sequence of tasks within the technical-military area.”

No particulars have been divulged.

It mentioned Shoigu had burdened that “Cuba has been and stays crucial ally of Russia within the area.”

Russia’s Sputnik information company mentioned Shoigu had referred to “present and promising tasks within the navy area.”

Moscow has sought to painting a return to enterprise as common since Shoigu was the goal over the weekend of a failed revolt by the Russian mercenary group Wagner.

A video by Russia’s state-run TASS information company confirmed Shoigu welcoming Lopez Miera in what was seemingly his first assembly with a international dignitary for the reason that rebel.

As Russia has been more and more remoted since invading Ukraine in 2022, relations with Cuba have intensified with an uptick in bilateral tasks and visits between senior officers.

Moscow and Havana have been on the heart of a world nuclear scare in 1962, when the Soviet Union stationed missiles on the island, sparking threats of an assault by the US close by.

The weapons have been withdrawn and a disaster averted.

After Russia invaded its neighbor, President Joe Biden has warned that for the “first time for the reason that Cuban missile disaster, we’ve a direct menace from using nuclear weapons.”

Cuba, below US embargo since 1962, is dealing with its worst financial disaster in three many years, and just lately acquired a cargo of Russian oil to assist ease a crushing scarcity of gasoline on the island.

Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel has assured Russia of “Cuba’s unconditional help” in its “conflict with the West” over Ukraine.

Lopez Miera’s journey, which was not introduced beforehand, got here simply days after Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero concluded an 11-day official go to to Russia throughout which he mentioned cooperation in power, tourism, and transport.

Marrero had met President Vladimir Putin, amongst different senior officers.

Based on the Russian presidency web site, Putin had informed Marrero that “we are going to do every part in order that our financial interplay helps to beat these difficulties imposed from the surface,” referring to “unlawful sanctions” in opposition to Havana.

As Cuba has seemed for associates since Washington ramped up sanctions below then-president Donald Trump, it has additionally raised some eyebrows over its interactions with China.

The Wall Avenue Journal has reported that Havana was negotiating with China to ascertain a joint navy coaching facility on the island, and the White Home mentioned China has been working an intelligence unit in Cuba for years.