US Nuclear Submarine Arrives in Cuba One Day After Russian Ships Dock in Havana

A United States nuclear submarine surfaced in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, on Thursday, one day after the arrival of a Russian naval force in Havana, Cuba, to conduct drills with the nation. 

The Details: Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said on Wednesday, “We’ve been tracking the Russians’ plans for this. This is not a surprise. We’ve seen them do this — these type of port calls before, and these are, you know, routine naval visits that we’ve seen under different administrations … We, of course, take it seriously, but these exercises don’t pose a threat to the United States.”

Key Quote: United States Southern Command released a statement on Thursday reading, “The fast-attack submarine USS Helena is in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as part of a routine port visit as it transits the U.S. Southern Command geographic area of responsibility while conducting its global maritime security and national defense mission. The vessel's location and transit were previously planned.” 

How the Media Covered It: Coverage across the spectrum framed the events with varying levels of severity. CNN (Lean Left bias) emphasized statements reiterating that the Russian naval movement does not pose a threat to the U.S. security and is part of a routine naval visit. The Daily Wire (Right bias) directly connected Russia’s actions to the U.S.’s involvement in the war in Ukraine, stating the Russian ships are “a show of force by Moscow amid increasing tensions between the U.S. and Russia.” This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology.