U.S. Navy Deploys Warships to Monitor Russian Naval Flotilla Off Florida Coast

On Tuesday, June 11, the U.S. Navy confirmed the deployment of warships and aircraft to monitor a Russian naval flotilla that sailed within 30 miles off South Florida's coast, intensifying military activity in the region.

Last week, Moscow dispatched three ships and a nuclear-powered submarine to the Caribbean for extensive military air and naval exercises, marking the first such large-scale maneuvers in at least five years, according to U.S. officials.

Russian Defense Drills

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that the drills commenced in the Atlantic on Tuesday, with a hypersonic-capable frigate and a nuclear-capable submarine simulating a strike on a group of enemy ships. While it remains uncertain whether the frigate is equipped with hypersonic missiles, reports from the U.S. intelligence community indicate that none of the Russian vessels are carrying nuclear weapons.

U.S. Response

Despite the Biden administration's assertion that it is not troubled by the Russian activity, it has authorized the deployment of three powerful destroyers and a submarine reconnaissance aircraft to the region, stated a U.S. Northern Command official.

"In accordance with standard procedures, we’ve been actively monitoring the Russian ships as they transit the Atlantic Ocean within international waters," the NORTHCOM official affirmed. "Air and maritime assets under U.S. Northern Command have conducted operations to ensure the defense of the United States and Canada. Russia’s deployments are part of routine naval activity which pose no direct threat or concern to the United States."

U.S. Deployment

The U.S. deployment consists of three guided-missile destroyers - USS Truxtun, USS Donald Cook, and USS Delbert D. Black - and includes a Coast Guard cutter, the Stone, along with a Boeing P-8 maritime patrol aircraft.

The U.S. anticipates that the Russian naval exercises will conclude with worldwide naval exercises, potentially extending from the Caribbean to the South Pacific. A possible additional port call for the Russian ships is foreseen in Venezuela.

The Port of Havana is expected to be notably crowded this week. In addition to the arrival of the Russian warships and the nuclear-powered submarine, HMCS Margaret Brooke, a patrol vessel for the Royal Canadian Navy, is set to arrive and stay until June 17. Simultaneously, the Communist Party newspaper Granma reported that a Venezuelan training ship, the AB Simón Bolívar, will visit Santiago de Cuba from June 15 to 19, emphasizing the "50th anniversary of cooperation ties" with Canada and the "bilateral collaboration for the maintenance of peace in our region."