The United States expects that Russia will commence air and naval exercises in the Caribbean in the coming weeks, according to an unnamed American official's statement.
The exercises, involving Russian warships and long-range bombers, will be the first simultaneous air and naval maneuvers conducted by Russia in the Caribbean since 2019. The US interprets them as a response to American support for Ukraine and the increased US exercises with NATO allies.
However, according to the official, the exercises have been planned for a long time, and it is unlikely that they are a reaction to the recent partial lifting by US President Joe Biden of the ban on Ukraine using Washington-provided weapons against targets on Russian territory.
The official said that the Russian exercises are not seen as a direct threat to the US.
It is expected that Russian ships will make stops in Cuba and possibly Venezuela, with the exercises continuing throughout the summer and culminating in worldwide naval exercises in the fall.
Strikes on Russian territory
In early May 2024, Russian forces breached Ukraine's border in the Kharkiv region and launched an offensive towards Kharkiv. Within a few days, they managed to occupy several settlements and partially capture the town of Vovchansk. However, after a few weeks of positional battles, the Ukrainian Defense Forces managed to halt the advance and began pushing Russian troops out of the town.
During the offensive, Russian troops subjected the settlements in the Kharkiv region, including Kharkiv itself, to massive shelling using ballistic missiles, guided bombs, and high-explosive aerial bombs. These attacks caused significant destruction and numerous civilian casualties.
Following this, Ukrainian authorities called on their allies to allow strikes on Russian territory using partner-supplied weapons. Some approved the request. President Joe Biden permitted the Ukrainian Armed Forces to attack military targets on Russian territory. However, this permission does not extend to ATACMS ballistic missiles. Subsequently, Russia threatened the US with fatal consequences.
