Naval exercises spurred by US support for Ukraine are likely to include port calls in Cuba and Venezuela, says official

Russia plans to send combat vessels into the Caribbean region this summer as part of naval exercises that will probably include port calls in Cuba and possibly stops in Venezuela, a senior US official said on Wednesday.

“As part of Russia’s regular military exercises, we anticipate that this summer, Russia will conduct heightened naval and air activity near the United States. These actions will culminate in a global Russian naval exercise this fall,” the official said.

The US does not see the move involving a relatively small number of vessels and planes as threatening, but the US Navy will monitor the exercises, the official told a small group of reporters.

    • MataVatnik@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Wait, this may actually not even be a joke considering how much of their fleet they have been losing.

  • athairmor@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Why? So the USA can get a better look at their lack of naval capability? To intimidate… I don’t know… summer yachting enthusiasts?

  • Corhen@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    “Russia to send combat vessels to Caribbean, pretty sure Ukraine wont be able to sink so many there”

  • TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee
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    6 months ago

    Ukraine Special Forces:

    Get your swim trunks and sun tan lotion, lads! We going to the Caribbean for a couple of weeks!

  • AA5B@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Hopefully there will be no “accidents”, but this is good news for Ukraine. As Ukraine has been putting more effort into disrupting logistics far behind Russian lines, Russia is helping out by wasting supplies in a futile attempt to act tough.

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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      6 months ago

      Eh. The Montreux Convention specifically prohibits them from bringing any military vessels into the Black Sea. That’s part of the Russian Navy’s problem right now: it is actually 100% against international law (as well as a very serious treaty violation made with a NATO country (Turkey)) for them to rotate and refresh their forces in the Black Sea.

      That’s why their ship losses are so strategically catastrophic, and that’s why they haven’t replaced anything. If they want any new ships in the Black Sea fleet, they’ve got to build them in the Black Sea for the duration of the Ukraine War. Not to mention, it’s pretty fucking embarrassing to lose as many capital ships as they have to a country that doesn’t currently have a navy.

      Also, I wouldn’t be super shocked if Ukrainians find some creative ways to disrupt, damage, or destroy Russia Navy vessels in various foreign ports of call :)

      Edit: lmao:

      The Biden administration did not view the deployment with alarm since Russia had sailed ships into the western hemisphere yearly from 2013 to 2020, the official said.

      “We should expect more of this activity going forward, although we note these deployments incur a cost on the Russian navy, which is struggling to maintain readiness and conduct deployments with an aged fleet,” the official said.

    • mean_bean279@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Their boats aren’t there yet. Russia’s track record isn’t the best regarding boats making it to their destination…

      • Telodzrum@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        What’s the over/under on the number of times members of the same fleet fire on each other this time?

  • ghostdoggtv@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Bold move to bring the rest of the Russian navy into striking distance of NATO defense forces during war with the signatories of the Budapest accords. Fucking idiot fell for his own bullshit.

  • mlg@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    I’m gonna be honest here, is there even any naval force besides the USN that could claim the ability to project power?

    • Russia’s carrier repeatedly caught fire
    • India left the door open on their brand new submarine
    • UK flopped a missile into the ocean
    • China pretends the SCS is the same size as the Pacific, and also allegedly had multiple nuclear sub accidents, which they cover up.
    • Davidchan@lemmynsfw.com
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      6 months ago

      I was gonna make fun of the French but then I remembered their nuclear doctrine is to lob a 250kt yield warhead as a warning shot.

    • CheeseNoodle@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      The UK and France have both joined the US navy in a few actions (Though of the two neither can really project carriers) Chinas navy is technically large but most of it is coastal waters only, That said they’ve conducted exercises around Taiwan so they can at least project some power.

  • zecg@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Project global power

    Hope they have aquatic cope cages to protect them

  • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Well, the navy has nothing to do outside the black sea and since they lost some crews there they need to start training.

    I just wonder what else they will be doing there. Cause Putin just declared he will start arming groups that fight NATO countries. So in the carribean you can arm drug cartels, contras and other insurgency groups and the US will need to deal with that. As it is a direct danger and it causes more instability, thus refugees to the US. Just in time for the elections in November.

    Also having a group of ships sail out also allows you to break some off to do other stuff and equip other groups. Rendezvous at sea and all.

  • collapse_already@lemmy.ml
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    6 months ago

    Just in time for hurricane season. Supposed to be a doozy this year. Will anyone rescue their poor sailors when the inevitable happens? Will we see an entire ship defect?

    • BOMBS@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Fun fact: The Russian Revolution of 1917 went underway when the Russian Navy joined in. I believe it happened just after Bloody Sunday, but I can’t find it now. Anyone here remember what the catalyst was for the Russian Navy on some island to join the Russian Revolution?

  • SlothMama@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Didn’t Ukraine get invaded during other such drills? Wasn’t it a ‘special military operation’ near the border?

  • Deestan@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Bringing the ships into waters completely monitored by countries friendly to Ukraine, and surrounded by a number of launching points for sabotage actions by basically anyone.

    It would be a risky move if anybody cared about their navy, or felt it was a threat.

  • Railcar8095@lemm.ee
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    6 months ago

    Good! A failed attempt to show off while weakening their forces in Ukraine

    • FleetingTit@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      They can’t send warships from the Black Sea to the Carribbean. No warships are allowed passage through the Bosphorus Strait.