The US expects Russia to begin air and naval exercises in the Caribbean in the coming weeks, according to a US official.
The exercises, which will involve Russian warships and long-range bombers, will be the first simultaneous air and sea maneuvers Russia has conducted in the Caribbean since 2019. The US interprets them as a response to US support for Ukraine and increased US support. exercises with NATO allies.
However, the exercises have been planned for some time, the official said, and appear unlikely to be a response to this President Biden’s recent partial lifting of the ban against Ukraine’s use of US-supplied weapons against targets in Russia. The Miami Herald first reported on expected Russian plans for air and naval exercises in the Caribbean.
Last week the US approved the country Ukraine to use the weapons on the Russian side of the border near the besieged Ukrainian city Kharkov. The Biden administration has narrowly tailored U.S. authorization to the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation, limiting the use of the weapons to attacking Russian artillery sites and other weaponry targeted at them around Kharkov. The Ukrainians are still not allowed to use US-supplied long-range equipment, such as the ATACMs, to hit Russia beyond that point, to avoid the perception of a direct US escalation with Russia.
The Russian exercises are not considered a direct threat to the US, the official said. The Russian ships are expected to visit ports in Cuba and possibly Venezuela, and the exercises will last throughout the summer, culminating in a global naval exercise in the fall.
Margaret Brennan contributed to this report.
David Martin
