Russian Warships Are Headed to Caribbean: Officials

Russia is expected to soon begin air and naval exercises in the Caribbean, for the first time since 2019. The move is being taken as a response to US support for Ukraine as well as the US increasing its own exercises with NATO allies—but, as the exercises are believed to have been in the works for a while, they are not seen as a response to President Biden's recent decision to allow Ukraine to carry out limited strikes inside Russia using US weapons, CBS News reports. The US is tracking Russian warships and long-range bomber aircraft that are expected to arrive in the Caribbean within weeks, the AP reports. Both outlets are citing anonymous US officials, who say Congress was notified of the expected exercises on Wednesday.

Per those officials, the expected move by Russia—which has not been formally announced—is likely also meant as a show of the strength of Russia's navy following the loss of several ships to Ukrainian strikes. The exercises are expected to last throughout the summer, possibly culminating in what CBS News calls "a worldwide naval exercise" this fall. (Pressident Vladimir Putin recently said Russia is considering providing to other nations long-range weapons meant for strikes on the US and other Western targets.)