Too Close for Comfort? Russia Launches Plans for Naval and Air Military Exercises in Caribbean

A United States official has reported that Russia plans to deploy air and sea assets to the Caribbean.

According to Knewz.com, this move, while posing "no direct threat," is believed to be in response to President Joe Biden's approval of using American weapons on Russian soil.

In a statement to the Miami Herald, the official indicated that Washington expects Russia to conduct "heightened naval and air activity near the United States," with Russian ships likely making port calls in Cuba and Venezuela. Despite this, the U.S. is not overly concerned.

"We expect that, as is predictable, the Russians will amp up the information space with this, both to make a point and to unsettle us," the unnamed official said. "We're not particularly concerned. It’s something that they've done before. It's messaging for the Russians."

This "messaging" comes after Biden authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-built weapons on Russian territory.

"This is about Russia showing they are still capable of some level of naval power projection," the official explained. "We should expect more of this activity going forward."

Leading up to this announcement, the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin made numerous threats, but have been notably quieter following Ukraine's actual use of the weapons.

According to the Miami Herald, Moscow has not formally notified Biden of its plans to send military assets to the Caribbean. The official commented, "Ships, of course, are observable, so they kind of don't have to."

The Biden administration informed Congress of this development on June 6. The US Navy is closely monitoring Russia's movements and is prepared to adjust its posture as necessary.

The White House expects Russia's naval exercises to expand globally, with increased activity in the Pacific Ocean as well.

The official noted that Russia's navy visited the Caribbean islands annually from 2013 to 2020, with aircraft repeatedly violating the airspace of America's allies in the region. This upcoming joint sea and air operation is the first of its kind since the Trump administration.

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The official highlighted that Russia's visits to "the Western Hemisphere are less frequent" due to their limited capacity for sustained power projection. "But this (exercise) is something they’re doing, and clearly, they are unhappy — needless to say — with our support for Ukraine and support for our NATO allies."

This development follows a recent report by Front Page Detectives, which quoted a threat from Putin.

During a visit to Uzbekistan, Putin warned about the potential consequences of Ukraine using Western weapons on Russian soil, saying, "This constant escalation can lead to serious consequences."

He emphasized that NATO members, especially in Europe, should be aware of the risks, warning of a potential serious conflict in Europe and even a global conflict.