MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Russian flotilla to dock in Cuba, first time since Soviet era

A group of Russian warships is to visit Cuba for the first time since the Soviet era, the Russian navy has said. The visit, scheduled for 19-22 December, will be led by the destroyer Admiral Chabanenko.

Recently the ship took part in joint manoeuvres with Venezuela and became the first Russian vessel to navigate the Panama Canal since World War II. The naval activities are being seen by United States as an attempt by Moscow to strengthen its influence in the region. Cuba's revolutionary leadership was closely allied to the Soviet Union (USSR) during the Cold War, but relations have weakened since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. There have recently been attempts to revive ties. Russia was the first country to send humanitarian aid to Cuba after two major hurricanes this year, and the two countries signed major trade deals in November. "Cubans will have an opportunity to visit the Russian vessels. The Russian flotilla in Havana is an important step, at practical level, to strengthen and develop contacts between the navies of both countries", said the Russian navy spokesperson Igor Digalo quoted by the Interfax agency. Russian president Dmitri Medvedev last November visited Havana where he met with his counterpart Raul Castro and the ailing leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro. According to both sides Russian-Cuban relations are at their best point since the collapse of the Soviet Union, which was Havana's main ally in the region. Russia last November extended Cuba a 20 million US dollars loan as part of a package of ten agreements including nickel, auto industry, oil and gas, and supply of wheat and other cereals to the Caribbean island.