NATO's military aid to Ukraine has been steadily increasing, especially after US President Biden openly expressed support for Ukraine's use of American-provided weapons against Russia.
This statement has sparked widespread international attention and debate.
As NATO member countries strengthen their support for Ukraine, Russia's actions on the international stage have become more frequent and significant.
In response to NATO's developments, Russia decided to dispatch its "Yasen-M" class nuclear submarine to Havana, Cuba, seen as a direct challenge to Western countries.
The Yasen-M class submarine, a fourth-generation Soviet-designed attack submarine, possesses excellent underwater combat capabilities and strategic deterrent power.
With a displacement of up to 13,800 tons when fully loaded, it can dive to a maximum depth of 600 meters and achieve a maximum speed of 31 knots.
In addition to large-caliber torpedo tubes, the Yasen-M class is equipped with 8 vertical launch tubes capable of deploying 40 "Kalibr" cruise missiles or 32 "Onyx" supersonic anti-ship missiles, as well as other hypersonic weapons, making it versatile for anti-submarine, anti-ship, land attack, and strategic strike missions.
However, the actual effectiveness of Russia's military actions has not met its intended deterrence.
Firstly, there have been profound changes in current international relations. While Russia had close military cooperation with Cuba in the past, today's Cuba is no longer the ally it was during the revolutionary era, and relations with the United States have gradually improved.
Therefore, Russia's attempt to stimulate tensions in US-Cuba relations by deploying submarines to Cuba has not yielded the expected results.
On June 6, the Cuban government announced that four Russian Navy vessels, including a nuclear-powered submarine, would arrive in Havana shortly.
The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that these vessels do not carry nuclear weapons and do not pose a threat to regional security.
This public announcement allows NATO countries to monitor the movement routes of these vessels in advance, diminishing the tactical surprise of Russia's military actions.
Furthermore, Russia's fleet faces maritime blockades and surveillance from NATO countries during its operations.
Since the Russia-Ukraine war, Europe and North America have imposed strict blockades on Russian airspace and waters, meaning Russian fleets cannot obtain supplies and maintenance in any port along their route once they leave their homeport of the Northern Fleet.
This necessitates that the Russian "Yasen-M" class submarine K-561 Kazan and its escort fleet rely solely on their own capabilities and resources for this long-distance voyage, posing challenges and uncertainties.
Nevertheless, despite numerous challenges, Russia's actions still hold significant strategic and political symbolism.
Deploying a fleet including attack submarines near the US East Coast demonstrates Russia's strategic attitude and firm stance toward Western countries.
Especially as Russian submarines approach the coastline of Florida, the United States, while claiming not to feel threatened, has deployed a large-scale surveillance and response effort, including multiple warships and anti-submarine patrol aircraft, to ensure real-time monitoring and tracking of the Russian fleet.
According to the latest ship and aircraft tracking data, the Russian nuclear submarine and escort fleet are now within 30 nautical miles of the Florida coastline.
To effectively monitor this operation, the United States has mobilized a large amount of military assets, including two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and multiple P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft, with support from allies such as Canada and France.
The French Navy's Lafayette-class frigate is also involved in monitoring the Russian fleet, demonstrating Western countries' high level of concern and response to Russian military actions.
In conclusion, despite tactical challenges and difficulties with Russia's deployment of the "Yasen-M" class submarine to Cuba, its strategic and political symbolism cannot be ignored.
This action not only exacerbates current international tensions but also highlights the complex maneuvers and strategic gamesmanship among various parties in global geopolitical competition.
The signals and impacts conveyed by Russia's actions will continue to shape international attention and discussions on future developments.
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