As tensions between the U.S. and Russia escalated due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, a fleet of Russian Navy ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, docked in Cuba on Wednesday morning and carried out drills in the Atlantic. This development, taking place just 90 miles from Florida, has sparked a surge of misinformation on social media, with users sharing photos and videos falsely claiming that Russia is launching an offensive against the U.S.
Russian Warships Dock in Cuba to Conduct Drills
On June 11, the AP reported, citing the military, that Russian warships en route to Cuba conducted drills in the Atlantic as part of Moscow’s power projection amid heightened tensions with the West over Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and the Kazan nuclear-powered submarine simulated a missile strike on enemy ships during the exercise, which involved a computer simulation targeting sea objects over 600 kilometers (320 nautical miles) away.
Accompanied by two support vessels, the ships arrived in Havana on Wednesday to demonstrate the “historically friendly relations” between Russia and Cuba, according to Cuban officials.
The four Russian ships are now docked in berths usually occupied by cruise ships, marking the largest show of force by Russia and its longstanding ally Cuba in many years. A U.S. official stated that the Kazan does not have nuclear weapons on board.
The U.S. Navy Monitors Russian Exercises, Declares No Threat
The Cuban Foreign Ministry announced that Russian warships will be in Havana from Wednesday to June 17, emphasizing that none carry nuclear weapons and their presence poses no threat to the region. This followed a U.S. statement confirming that Washington had been monitoring the Russian warships and aircraft expected to arrive in the Caribbean for military exercises.
U.S. officials told CNN that the U.S. military had deployed ships and planes to monitor Russia’s military exercises in the Atlantic and the Caribbean, tracking the Russian vessels as they crossed the Atlantic en route to Cuba. The official added that the U.S. has been monitoring the flotilla's movements "the whole time," which is a standard part of U.S. maritime homeland defense, noting that all vessels, including the Russians, have remained in international waters.
Pentagon and State Department officials emphasized that the Russian activity is routine and poses no threat to the U.S., and noted that Cuba has hosted Russian ships every year between 2013 and 2020.
As the Russian drills commenced on Wednesday, social media users rapidly spread fake news about the exercises, attempting to heighten concerns and stir fears of a broader conflict between Russia and the United States.
This Video Does Not Feature Explosions Along Florida Coast Amid Russian Drills
On June 12, social media users widely shared a video clip purporting to show significant explosions reported off the Miami coast as a Russian nuclear submarine emerged.
An X user shared the original video on April 25, claiming it depicts a "Massive Fire in New Smyrna Beach. Explosion reported. Large cloud of smoke."
Misbar’s team investigated the circulating footage and found the claim to be misleading.
The News-Journal website used the same tweet featuring the original video to report that the video depicts a controlled burn. New Smyrna Beach officials clarified that the strange mushroom-shaped cloud seen in the video was from a controlled burn miles away, debunking social media users and beachgoers claims of an explosion at the time.
Russian Drills Conducted 90 Miles Off Florida Coast, Not 21
In addition, social media users widely alleged that incoming shots were fired from Russian warships and nuclear-powered submarines only 21 miles off the coast of Florida.
Misbar’s investigative team searched the claim online and found it to be fake.
According to CNN, the Russian warships are currently in Havana Harbor on a visit to Cuba, approximately 90 miles away from Florida, not 21. The alleged "shots fired" referred to a 21-gun salute, not offensive fire, as claimed.
Outdated Video Shared as Russian Military Drills Near the Coast of Florida
Furthermore, social media users widely shared a video clip purporting to show the Russian drills miles off the coast of Florida.
An X user shared the video, along with the caption, "While y'all goin about yo lives, Russia is conducting marine exercises with nuclear capable submarines just 66 miles off the coast of Florida... All that funding for Ukraine, instead of call for peace, sure is paying off."
Misbar’s team investigated the viral video and found the claim to be misleading.
The Voice of America uploaded the original video to YouTube in May 2018, showing a Russian nuclear-powered submarine successfully test-firing four intercontinental ballistic missiles. The navy announced that the submarine, named Yuri Dolgoruky after the medieval prince who founded Moscow, launched the Bulava missiles in a single salvo from a submerged position in the White Sea at the time.
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