In a routine port visit, the USS Helena, a Los Angeles-class, fast-attack, nuclear-powered submarine, surfaced in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This visit follows closely after the arrival of Russian naval forces in Havana for joint drills with Cuba, a long-time ally of Russia. The Pentagon has emphasized that the presence of the Russian flotilla, despite being just 90 miles from the coast of Florida, does not pose a threat to the security of the United States.

According to a statement from the US Southern Command, the USS Helena's visit to Guantanamo Bay is part of its global maritime security and national defense mission while transiting through the US Southern Command geographic area of responsibility. This routine port visit allows the submarine crew to rest, resupply, and conduct necessary maintenance work.

The Pentagon spokesperson, Sabrina Singh, confirmed that the US military had been monitoring the Russian naval activities near US territorial waters. She stated that these types of port calls by foreign vessels are not uncommon and have occurred under various administrations. Singh ensured that the US takes the presence of foreign naval forces seriously but reiterated that these exercises do not pose a threat to the United States.

This is not the first time a US submarine has visited Guantanamo Bay. Last July, the USS Pasadena, also a Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine, made a similar stop, eliciting a strong response from the Cuban government, which viewed it as an escalation. The Pentagon suggests that the current visit of a Russian submarine to Cuba may be, at least in part, a response to the US submarine's visit last year.

While Navy destroyers along with P-8 submarine hunting aircraft continue to monitor the movements of the Russian ships as they move south along the east coast of the United States, the Pentagon remains confident in the security measures in place to protect US interests.

The USS Helena's presence in Guantanamo Bay reflects the ongoing operations of the US military in maintaining global maritime security and national defense. As tensions rise with the presence of foreign naval forces, the United States maintains its commitment to monitor and safeguard its territorial waters.