Russia Responds to Speculation on Nuclear Weapons Deployment in Cuba

Amid escalating tensions between Moscow and the West, the Russian government has publicly addressed rumors concerning the potential stationing of nuclear weapons in Cuba. While the Kremlin has not explicitly confirmed this possibility, it has also refrained from ruling it out. On Tuesday, August 5, Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, addressed reports circulating in pro-Kremlin media and among Russian military analysts about relocating nuclear missiles to the Caribbean, specifically targeting Cuba and Venezuela.

"From what we gather, these are the private opinions of individual experts expressing their personal viewpoints," Zakharova stated, according to the Russian state agency Interfax. Despite her attempts to frame these speculations as personal opinions, she did not categorically deny that such options might be considered at a governmental level. "The development of international military cooperation is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense," she added, in response to a direct inquiry on the subject.

When discussing the feasibility of such connections, she emphasized that Russia relies on its international obligations and bilateral agreements with interested countries, leaving the matter open-ended and raising more questions than answers.

The Silence from Havana

So far, the Cuban government has not issued any official statements regarding these rumors or the explicit mention of the island as a potential site for Russian missiles. Observers interpret Cuba's silence as a cautious stance in an extremely delicate and potentially destabilizing situation. Having been the epicenter of one of the most significant nuclear crises in modern history in 1962, Cuba has thus far avoided making pronouncements on this new chapter of nuclear tensions between Russia and the United States. Despite its historic alliance with Moscow, Cuba's current foreign policy maintains a stance of non-alignment in direct military conflicts.

Why Cuba?

Prior to Zakharova's remarks, Alexander Vorobyov, head of the Moscow Center for Strategic Studies, claimed that placing Russian missiles in Cuba would be a logical response to the United States' recent deployment of precision bombs in the UK. Vorobyov suggested that "Russia could move its missiles to Cuba," considering the island as "Moscow's preferred location for deploying intermediate and short-range missiles." These statements intensified concerns and reignited parallels with the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, which nearly triggered a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Escalating Tensions

The rumors have gained traction amidst a backdrop of escalating nuclear tensions, fueled by statements from senior officials in both the United States and Russia. Last week, President Donald Trump announced the deployment of two U.S. nuclear submarines to positions "closer to Russia." In response, Vladimir Putin's government officially withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a pivotal agreement for global strategic stability since the Cold War. On Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was unequivocal. "Russia no longer considers itself bound by these restrictions and reserves the right to take necessary measures if needed," he asserted.

Meanwhile, Russia's Foreign Ministry, in an earlier statement, justified exiting the INF treaty by citing the disappearance of conditions to maintain the moratorium due to actions by Western countries. Moscow specifically accused the United States and its allies of amassing "destabilizing missile capabilities" in regions near Russia, posing a direct threat to the country's security.

Russian Missile Deployment in Cuba: A Recurring Proposal

The idea of deploying missiles in Cuba is not new among Russian leaders. In January of last year, Alexei Zhuravlev, first vice-chairman of the Russian State Duma's Defense Committee, stated that his country should place nuclear weapons in Cuba, as well as Nicaragua and Venezuela. "Regarding our missiles closer to the United States, I have long supported supplying launchers and submarines to our friends Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua," Zhuravlev said at the time. His comments responded to a revelation by The Telegraph, suggesting Washington might return its nuclear weapons to the UK. Previously, in 2022, during the initial months of the invasion of Ukraine, then Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that Russia could consider military deployment in Cuba and Venezuela if tensions with the United States escalated. The Cuban government has consistently remained silent on such declarations from its Russian allies.

On the Brink of a New Crisis?

The public resurgence of the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons in Cuba—though still unconfirmed—revives fears of another military confrontation between superpowers in the Western Hemisphere. The mere mention of the Caribbean island as a strategic foothold for Moscow is, in itself, a high-voltage geopolitical signal. For many, it serves as a reminder that in an increasingly multipolar and volatile world, military tensions can resurface in familiar scenarios, albeit under new conditions.