Russian Navy pounded near home while flexing muscle abroad

Russian Navy pounded near home while flexing muscle abroad

Inflict maximum harm. That’s what former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is urging his country to do to the United States to avenge the US Treasury Department’s new sanctions on Russia. Now, these sanctions have sent fear and anxiety through Russia’s financial system. State media has reported that major banks were blocking customers from withdrawing cash, and that was coming from state media. So consider that it comes as Putin is sending a nuclear powered sub and other warships to Havana, just 90 miles off the Florida coast. But what is so striking about Russia’s massive show force that we can all see right now off the U.S. coast is the truth. The reality of Putin’s navy, a fleet that’s been decimated since the beginning of the war with Ukraine. Fred Pleitgen is OutFront. Ukrainian sea drones racing to attack a Russian warship near Crimea in the Black Sea. The cheap unmanned vessels have allowed Ukraine to decimate Vladimir Putin’s Black Sea fleet. You can hear it was going on. Their weapons are not designed to deal with such small sea drones, the soldier says. In most cases, they use anti-ship guns. It’s a far cry from the power Moscow is trying to project not far from the U.S. shores, sending some of their most advanced warships to Cuba. Russia’s Ministry of Defense saying that the frigate and a nuclear powered sub, quote, practice the use of high precision missile weapons by computer based maritime simulation at the ship based groupings of a mock enemy. Vladimir Putin has invested heavily in Russia’s navy, which now has a permanent base in Syria and boasts hypersonic missiles. It’s no paper tiger, but also not an invincible force. As Ukraine has shown, Ukraine’s sea drones as well as sabotage and air launched missiles, have destroyed about one third of Russia’s Black Sea fleet since the spring of 2022. Ukraine says these. Including large landing ships like this one blown up in Crimea at the end of last year and submarines destroyed in the dock. The Russians have even lost the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva, to what Kiev says was an attack by Ukrainian made missiles and the fleet’s headquarters in Sebastopol was struck by missiles last year. The repeated humiliations pushing Russian ships further and further away from Ukraine and eventually leading to the dismissal of Russia’s navy chief in March. Not so long ago, Russian state media would celebrate the Navy’s single aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznets, off the jewel in the crown. But the ship has long been plagued by mechanical problems and has been in dock for years in more months. Some Western analysts predict it will never set sail again, despite Putin’s glorification of Russia’s naval prowess. Many of its warships appear vulnerable to both air and sea attacks and lack the technology to compete with Western navies or even cheap maritime drones made in Ukraine. And Aaron, the Ukrainian say that while the Russians might be gaining ground in other areas, they feel that they’ve really hurt Moscow’s Black Sea fleet and essentially rendered it ineffective. And the Ukrainians say they will continue to develop those sea drones to hurt Vladimir Putin’s naval forces even more. Aaron. All right, Fred, thank you very much Patrick, if everybody is downplaying this, why did the Russians send this, Armada? it almost looks like an armada to Havana. Well, let me show you, a little bit of that armada, because, yes, it’s true what Cuban said. That other military send ships on friendly visits, but not like this. there has never been a nuclear submarine, I’m told, docked in the port of the that as you have behind me there, the submarine Kazan. Really? Just a breathtaking sight when it came in, to the harbor yesterday to see such, massive weapon of war to the other side, but on the other side of the pier. And that is a gorgeous course, Jim. And I should highlight this, because this is one of the most modern ships the Russian Navy Vladimir Putin has. And let me tell you a little bit about this. it, can send hypersonic missiles, this test of the hypersonic missiles, those fly at a speed of about 6000mph. It’s not believe that the U.S. has any a weapon system that can counter, those hypersonic missiles, Jim, you know, point of reference. I’m in Havana. You’re in Washington, DC. You’re only a little bit over a thousand miles away from where I am right now. so while these are a peaceful visit, we are told they have left a nuclear warheads, at home. The Cuban Ministry of Defense says, the vehicles, the vessels behind me are anything but peaceful. Vladimir Putin is sending a message. He’s sending it very publicly. and they’ve been put not in a secret military port here in Cuba, but in one of the most visible places. there is right in front of our offices, which makes it very convenient. So up certainly in message in Washington, they’re watching this very, very closely. Yeah. I mean, Patrick, as the son of a Cuban refugee who came to this country right before the Cuban missile Crisis. I mean, I just kind of wonder what the reception is in Havana. And what do you folks think are that are we seeing echoes of, of all of that, echoes of that, chapter in our history? Or do folks are sort of shrug their shoulders and say, okay, the Russians are in town. You know, it’s interesting because, surely the Russians have come here throughout the years, sometimes secretly, sometimes more publicly, but never like this before. And certainly among, you know, a certain class of Cubans, there’s a nostalgia for the way the economy was better under the Russians. Let’s face it. Most Cubans have relatives in Florida. Most Cubans receive, remittances from those relatives. They follow us. Music, U.S. baseball. there is an affinity, a much greater affinity, with a country that is closer to them. So for many, many Cubans. And I know they look at this and they feel it’s a return to the not so great, days of the past. Interesting. All right. Patrick, Robin will, stay in touch with you. Fascinating developments there in Havana. Always appreciate your your coverage, your reporting. Thanks so much.

CNN’s Fred Pleitgen reports on the state of the Russian Navy after a string of successful Ukrainian attacks on its Black Sea fleet. Russia currently has ships docked in Cuba in a show of force by Vladimir Putin. #CNN #News