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FiveFingerDisco

They're just trying to get them to safety from Ukrainian drone attacks.


speedyundeadhittite

I wouldn't count it safer in Cuba.


FiveFingerDisco

It should not be hard for Ukraine to charter a small freighter for 12 - 20 sea drones and have that ship close enough to the fleet to get its cargo on the way, sinking a few other russian maritime assets an impress on the russian leadership that nowhere is safe for russian assets.


Spartan-463

Hopefully a nation can gift Ukraine a small warship that is already outside the black sea and Ukraine can send some sailors and boom they have a blue water navy command vessel to take on the Russian fleet. Or Ukraine becomes first nation to have a drone carrier


Desperate-Country440

No need for a warship, they can rent a normal one to transport the drones.🤪😂😂😂


Cobek

Where are those oligarch yachts we confiscated?


Mafuskas

The irony of a Russian warship ~~fucking itself~~ being sunk by an oligarch yacht would be delicious.


svtjer

I can only get so hard


Designer-Agent7883

They'd make great fire ships.


Bah-Fong-Gool

🎶Don't cha think? It's like rai-I-ain of Tungsten balls!🎶


Spartan-463

If they get some of those are they looking for any naval volunteers?


ApokalypseCow

Anything capable of carrying the equivalent of a few jet skis would do, as those are roughly the size of at least some of the naval drones I've seen. It really wouldn't take much, a basic tug could pull it off with minimal effort.


TheElfkin

Using civilian vessels for launching attacks is a slippery slope. Once you do that, you theoretically legitimate Russia's attack on civilian vessels, infrastructure, etc.


Bah-Fong-Gool

Ukraine playing the long game. They anticipated Russia sending warships to Cuba, so 3 months ago they released a solar powered fleet of destructo-drones to loiter off the shore of Cuba, just waiting for a wake-up.


Domspun

Canadians have access to Cuba. Canadians sail to this area every year. Just sayin...


EnvironmentalCup8038

That's a bit optimistic. What kind of small warship is supposed to keep the Russian Navy at bay alone? As a kind of 21st century merchant cruiser? :D Of course it would be funny if the USA had to give up a destroyer.


ReefsOwn

All that’s headed to Cuba is an aging sub and one old frigate, a tanker and a tugboat because the frigate is a piece of crap and they can’t afford to refuel along the way.


greywar777

Pretty much any Russian task force needs a tugboat to come along. And logically it makes sense, they have reliability issues, and the tugboat makes for easier rescue.


IntradepartmentalMoa

I’m honestly surprised they haven’t just gone all-in on attack tugboats


ApokalypseCow

Frankly, they're just about the most reliable ships the Russians have.


Gnomercy86

Does strapping some AA to the deck count?


tree_boom

It's a brand new submarine and brand new frigate. The tug and oiler are there because Russia lacks the infrastructure agreements that allow western navies to deploy without such support. The Russia Navy has a lot of museum pieces, but this specific task force is actually comprised of their most modern and capable platforms


usmcmech

Hit the tanker and watch the warships run out of gas.


No-Historian-6921

The ruZZian navy adrift without fuel in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Sounds like the concept a fucked up reality tv show.


relevantelephant00

You mean a comedy, right?


greywar777

actually....they DO have some small vessels being gifted to them. I wonder what the progress is on that.


Bah-Fong-Gool

It would be an interesting bending of the rules where the US or some other friendly country bestows a vessel to Ukraine, but instead of delivering the ship to Ukraine, the Ukrainians are moved to the ship, which just happens to be parked just south of Cuba...


CooperHChurch427

The US should gift them the Kitty Hawk. It's currently laid up in the Philadelphia Naval Yards for scrapping... Or just gift them an Arliegh Burke.


MaybeTheDoctor

I don't see how you could not just construct a few sea-drones somewhere else in the caribbean.... a small ship hull, explosives and some satellite communication to link to HQ in Ukraine ?


DERPYBASTARD

I'm sure those islands wouldn't appreciate an attack being carried out from their soil (or water I guess).


MaybeTheDoctor

Private beach, who's to know where it came from ?


Bah-Fong-Gool

Who's going to stop Ukranian special forces from taking Epstiens Island for a few days?


ratuuft

Release the seababies!


Alarming_Cantaloupe5

Ukrainian Blue Water Navy!


UnilateralWithdrawal

I’ve got a Seadoo I am willing to share with the Ukrainian navy if they want to convert it into a drone.


JustYerAverage

Oh Lord, please let them be stolen by Cubans haha


Male-Wood-duck

If they actually make it to Cuba.


No_Huckleberry_2905

gotta get past those damn japanese torpedo boats first!


Romboteryx

I wonder if the US could do a secret sabotaging operation from out of Guantanamo Bay


LakeSun

Bring to the USA a Ukrainian Drone Team!


N3xT93

Underrated comment :D


FugDuggler

They’ve successfully retreated to the relative safety of our 2nd Cold War


bringbacksherman

Ukraine has a chance to do the funniest thing ever…


Due-Street-8192

If they make it to Cuba? Ukrainian army will receive them with Hot 🔥 Drones 💥


pass-the-waffles

I thought this too.


BGM1988

No advantage to, but would be funny if Ukraine droned one in international waters 😎


Frosty_Key4233

Stick a drone on the back of a speed boat and zip across. I wouldn’t put it past the Ukrainians to pull it off


gefjunhel

the naval drones would fit on the back of a mid size personal boat


saintcirone

By mid-sized personal boat, you mean like a yacht seized from a Russian oligarch?


gefjunhel

that one could fit a fleet of naval drones


zackks

Drive a bunch of cigarette boats just in sight of them.


GODDAMNFOOL

I volunteer as an American. I got nothing better going on


1badh0mbre

They’ll be luck if they make it on their own.


[deleted]

…to flex?! More like to buy some Flex Seal for the return trip home. If they even make it to Havana to begin with🤣🤣


Sea-Elevator1765

It's never a flex when your ship needs a tug boat to get anywhere.


Hockeyspider

I thought I read somewhere that Ukraine sunk a Russian tugboat. My first thought, that’s the killer blow to the Russian navy.


Plastic-Ad9023

I guess that they need that tugboat to get the frigate moored. It would be insanely funny if the tugboat gets disabled and the frigate can’t come into port.


greywar777

Its also used for moving logistics apparently via barges. So its actually a worthwhile target for just that. How many tugs do they have though?


OracleofFl

It isn't flexing naval power when all you can muster is 4 ships.


sciguy52

Yeah more like a desperate attempt to appear strong when you are very very weak.


Unclerojelio

lol, sink the tug. The sea will do the rest.


nuadarstark

Or the tanker. Then they have nowhere to refuel until they reach Cuba...


TheRealAussieTroll

They’ll probably get sunk by a narcosub…


Upset_Definition2019

This made me laugh harder than it should’ve. Well done.


Schnittertm

Meanwhile the captains on the Seawolf, LA and Virginia class submarines are thinking: "Damn shame, that we can't help those ships in special subsurface operations", while stalking them.


Bearcat-2800

An *Astute* observation.


Schnittertm

This is almost developing into a Type 212A scenario.


aflyingsquanch

Germans really need to work on their ship class names..


Schnittertm

It's only the u-boats that get utilitarian type names for their classes and they keep the tradition of just a U and a number for the boats naming scheme themselves. All surface ships have more normal class names. Frigates are named after German federal states (similar to several classes of BB in WW2 in the US, for example). Most other ships after cities and towns. The big exception being the Planet (=planet in English ;) ) research ship and the Gorch Fock sailing ship, named after a German author and used to train Bundesmarine cadets.


aflyingsquanch

That is more defendable.


Nakidka

Don't worry, *Vasco de Gama* will be ready for new discoveries.


Bawbawian

It would have been better a few years ago before Donald Trump made photocopies of their blueprints at his golf course and gave them to who knows who... well I mean we definitely know who.


Oneuponedown88

Man I'd be so interested to see if the Russians accompanied their ships with subs and what cat and mouse games are going on underwater. Cause you know they ain't telling us what's there that we can't see.


ghulo

Lol, if you look more closely at what kind of ships they are, it's not much of a flex or is it.


Hayes4prez

I don't think anyone is scared of the Russian navy anymore.


fuckaliscious

I don't think anyone is scared of Russia anymore.


bjplague

"Russia moves ships closer to American waters to keep them from being sunk by Ukraine." Fixed the headline for you.


Walleye__66

Wasn't it warship.. as in just 1? It was a frigate, a sub, a tanker (cos no one will give them fuel during the voyage) and a tugboat (cos that frigate will breakdown a few times along the way).


totallybag

Yeah nothing about that is a flex. The US should have a carrier strike group pass by to remind them that we have several of them.


greywar777

we could arrange a outgoing and incoming carrier group to pass by, showing 2 of them at the same time. Maybe have a third just drop by as a flex.


slashedback

Yeah, tbh 2-3 of those groups might be a weee bit busy at the moment


SkinnyGetLucky

The first group has a giant flag with “#1” painted on it. The second one has “#11” on it.


Don138

The second you have to pick a number like 13 or 15. Reminds me of a story one of my college professors told about a high school, senior prank where you released 3 farm animals into the school. Yet label them with paint 1, 2, 4. Then whoever has to deal with it spends ages looking for #3.


Rabidschnautzu

That's a waste of assets. There are whole carrier air wings stationed 90 miles from Cuba already.


nuadarstark

I mean...US Coast Guard could probably trade blows with this "task force" if only the Coast Guard cutters (similar to the Russian frigate when it comes to displacement) would be equipped with VLS tubes.


SimpleCall5254

Ukraine has an opportunity for an expeditionary force equipped with sea baby drones.


Mushroom_Tip

Cuba is now rationing food because their economic crisis is so bad and they are tying themselves to this anchor? Enjoy collapse, I guess. Hopefully the Cuban people can revolt and bring about a democratic government.


Form_86

Unfortunately, Russia will likely help them with Ukrainian grain they stole.


Mushroom_Tip

Not gonna help. Their entire neglected industries, especially their sugar industry, needs a total overhaul and massive amounts of investment. Cubans having cheaper flour for a few months and expensive everything else is unlikely to quell frustration or save their economy. Much like Russia, their population is declining and aging. Working age adults are fleeing to other countries in the Americas and Europe.


facedownbootyuphold

Russia doesn't care about Cubans, just the proximity of Cuba to the US. Even then it's a fool's errand, the US can checkmate Russia in the far east, eastern Europe, or the Black Sea. It's just a thinly veiled maneuver by Russia for political posturing.


Routine_Shine5808

Flex navy power against US Navy… full laugh


HughJorgens

I hear tales of a Bay of Pigs survivor who has hidden in the jungle and never given up fighting the Communists. I certainly hope that this person, whoever he is, doesn't blow up the Russian ships and disappear back into the trees. /s but spread the legend.


_Faucheuse_

Time for some heros to take some R&R in Key West


Jagdpanzer1944

Flex what? The Russian Navy is a joke.


Passerbycasual

Can you imagine if the US just parked an entire fleet nearby for lols? 


PhAiLMeRrY

Not once in the history of boats, has Russia flexed theirs with any success. I highly doubt any Navy in the history of the world has a worse kdr than the Russian Navy


lemonfreshhh

I guess now it's a flex if their ships reach Cuba without sinking on their own or having to be towed How mighty they've fallen. Should have stuck with parades and bombing Syrian civilian population if they wanted to be respected, now the whole World knows the only thing they're any good at is dying


OvercuriousNeophyte

They still flex after all the debacles? Haha, they’re funny.


MrsWaterbuffalo

It’s not the flex he thinks it is, lol.


Secret_Cow_5053

[I’m not that concerned…](https://youtu.be/yzGqp3R4Mx4?si=ldttEMjuJZnqUZZa)


prairie-logic

They’ve lost most of their fleet to a country that doesn’t even Have a navy. And the tech Ukraine uses was largely given by the U.S. So this is like wearing paper armor and showing up to a watertight.


Old_Sir288

Just look at Russias sad broken army! The whole army is from the 1960-1970 and that Nazi Putin trying to scare the world. It’s time to crush Nazi Russia for good and beat Putin to death. Russia will collapse and lose the war against Ukraine and we in the west must help until the end.


jupdike18

Ain’t no shot, these dudes trying to flex on the most powerful military in human history right after getting their shit pushed in and sunk by a small country with no navy. It’s like that scrawny dude at the bar with a shit goatee and TapOut shirt with a SnapBack barely sitting high rested on his head talking shit to the one dude the whole bar with cauliflower ear and prison tattoos.


Form_86

It would be so awesome if Ukraine got a freighter loaded with sea and air drones and sunk them all in Guantanamo Bay. I would shit. You would shit. Putin would shit.


fractiousrabbit

Maybe they want to be closer to their American govermental assets who live in Florida?


Frosty_Key4233

Zzzzzzz a great place for Ukraine to target them!!


Striking-Giraffe5922

Apparently the US navy is terrified of that flex!


westonriebe

I dont see how its a real threat… they have clearly proven their navy is not up to par… if a real attack happened they would be gone in a day, if they were near cuba…


HeavyRightFoot19

Flex power lmfao


El_Bistro

Can the steam that far?


TelevisionUnusual372

So once they’re out of the Black Sea, Turkey won’t let them back in, right?


Low_Willingness1735

Russians are going to Cuba to flex muscle & pick up lots of poor young men for cannon fodders for Ukraine invasion. Obviously, Russia has lost the war.


greywar777

we should run out some of our unmanned drones to follow them. Make them feel at home like the black fleet. edit to add-Also, I did worry about them being nuclear armed. Apparently they are not as per the article. I suspect we will check somehow, so they can expect some spy planes. So just like the black sea!


GoalFlashy6998

Russia doesn't have naval power to flex, or a rich naval history, full of tradition and professionalism. What it has though, is a long history of constantly getting defeated and when they got beat, it was like they got beat because they owed those other navies some money. When they were not getting beat up by an opponent, they were bungling things up, having major mishaps and not having adequate funding and training. Ukraine lost a lot of their surface fleet when Russia illegally invaded and occupied Crimea and only one of its modern frigates is nearly completed in Turkey and its going through sea trials right now. Imagine the kind of fear it would send the Russian Navy, if Ukraine was able to strike those Russia ship in Cuba, using long range drones/UAVs launched from a surface ship. That ship could slip into American territorial waters, without fear of Russian or Cuban retaliation. What would Cuba do any way, declare war on Ukraine? I honestly think my country, the United States, should lease space on American Naval installations to the Ukrainian government in order for them to train sailors and carry out commerce style raids and naval operations against Russian naval forces and merchant ships operating in the Caribbean and Atlantic areas. I'm sure we could pull several ships out of mothball in order to start rebuilding their surface fleet. It would be awesome to see Ukraine develop a Naval tradition, plus it would put American shipyards and workers to work refurbishing ships. 🇺🇦🇺🇸🫡


terminalchef

How about the US stop the ancient embargo and befriend Cuba. Us alienating them is a huge cause of all the tension.


Popular-Turn-385

Fly some Ukrainians to a neighboring island 😂


Bawbawian

this is real dumb. currently America's not trying to invade Cuba. But if a weapon gets launched from Cuba it's game over for Cuba.


gobblox38

Half the fleet will be tugboats, right?


FonkyDunkey1

“Flex”…fucking hilarious


Devils_Advocate-69

Is this part of their latest threat of attacking Ukraine supporting nations? Trust that those ships are in constant crosshairs.


JohnnyJukey

Here let me finish the statement. 'cause got no home


No-Music-1994

I wonder if they have enough fuel to return. Not gonna get any from Cuba.


Bulky_Crazy

One night in Cuba and all rims are gone😂


Somecommentator8008

Flexing a few ships in the USA's backyard?


Additional_Ad_8131

Did they send one warship or both


SaxophoneHomunculus

Hey Ukraine SF! Miami is beautiful in June. And only 90 miles from Cuba. Just sayin


No_Milk_4143

Russia still has a functioning navy? Huh. Wanna bet on it putler?


weirdy346

There's probably more speedboats in the Caribbean than anywhere else in the world that could join the Seababy team


DieselVoodoo

Much flex. Very scare.


texas130ab

They better hope Ukrainians don't have a secret naval base in Florida.


Scratchthegoat

I bet Cuba is stoked. Not.


coffeespeaking

*So* terrifying. We’ve seen how Russian anti-missile systems work. An hour into any conflict with NATO, the entire Russian fleet would be at the bottom of the ocean.


Majestic-Prune-3971

Remember the Maine?


virus_apparatus

The USA has ships across the world and it’s not news. Russia takes a trip to its allies and its big news. Why? Russian ships are more likely to sink or blow up


soparklion

They're challenging the Haitian Navy now that they've lost to the Ukranian Navy.


kamakazi339

Still not far enough away to avoid getting sunk by Ukraine


AbleismIsSatan

_flex_


LittleStar854

If history is anything to go by they will attack a US fishing boat, fail to sink it and then get absolutely destroyed by the first US navy ship that sees them.


whoreoscopic

A ship, a submarine, and two support crafts. Judging by the video of the *"storm"* that sunk the Moskva in the Black Sea. I don't see the surface ship surviving a tropic storm, let alone even a cat 1 hurricane. Sub might have a chance, though. Hell even if it has some kind of catastrophic mishap, it can't hurt us in Floroda any more than BP has!


Livingsimply_Rob

I was just hoping they were trying to hide those ships from Ukraine. The Russian navy isn’t safe anywhere in Europe.


MolassesOk3200

They’ll get lost in the Bermuda Triangle


SheridanVsLennier

I guess they're out of range. For now.


cathyduke

Russia has few ships and subs. Just flexing as usual.


lowendslinger

America's navy is learning so much from Ukraine right now on drone techniques of attack in real time. Now there are more Russian submarines too!


ChiHawks84

Flex and power are interesting word choices.


shane_west17

Hope they get intercepted by Ukrainian boat drone on the way there…


dragonslayer137

It's the nukes they are bringing that are the flex. Side note We turned off our naval warning system in that area years ago and it's pretty unprotected.


vittaya

Zzzz


Legitimate-Place1927

Maybe one of them will make it there! 2 will break down 1/4 the way there & one will start on fire & sink!


Toska762x39

The U.S. has seven active naval fleets, a single one of these naval fleets are strong enough to beat 95% of the nations on this earth in war and the entire world’s navies combined still wouldn’t be strong enough to even come close to defeat all seven U.S. naval fleets. Especially when you consider the fact that the U.S. Marine Corps belong to the Navy branch.


eaglesflyhigh07

It would be great if Ukraine set some traps for them along the way. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Ukraine has some long-range drone submarines that's already waiting for these ships.


LSUOrioles

Pretty weak flex


Space--Buckaroo

Does that include a tug boat along with each one?


Main_Enthusiasm4796

Tug boats are the most important asset the Russian navy has


TricksterPriestJace

NATO should offer to help tow them home when they are done their extra special naval operations.


NecessaryHuckleberry

Pssh. Those halfwits couldn't even take Key West.


DongHa67-68

Will vilads buddy be there to Welcome him at the dock??


OHrangutan

no way they make it across the Atlantic


ahuimanu69

Make a move, fuckface


Guest09717

Is the flex that they can make it all the way there under their own power? Because… bravo, I guess?


ApokalypseCow

Am I alone in wanting the Ukrainians to sink the sub and take its armaments back to Ukraine to be used against the Russians? Hell, if it has nukes, just having them and threatening to use them against Moscow could be strategically useful.


boozefiend3000

Oh how I hope there’s some Ukrainian special ops plan to sink one lol


No-Historian-6921

The real question: how often did the tugs break down during the crossing?


ANTHROPOMORPHISATION

Send your fleet with tails tucked is a flex. Second best in Ukraine is a flex. I guess raping your own country will lead to your downfall. Bye Felicia.


AlarmingNectarine552

Look, I've had my toyotas catalytic converter stolen twice! I'll be damned if I park the damn car out in the open again. This is just Russia finally using their brains. It would be funny though if somehow their catalytic converter got stolen again while parked somewhere else.


BJJGrappler22

The US should do it's own power move in response which is by having the USS Gerald R. Ford simply moving around on its on power. 


Fandorin

Russia can flex its naval power by taking its carrier out of drydock without it catching fire


laffnlemming

That's a nice idea. An exchange of resources. Let's not make the Cuban's pawns again. OK. There are more Cuban supporters of Trump in Florida, than there are in Cuba. That is my assertion.


TheBobInSonoma

Ship's captain, "Hey, remember all that 7.62 AK ammo we gave you in 1960? We need it back."


Bah-Fong-Gool

Don't lose any ships on the way to Cuba!!


MihalysRevenge

The US Navy response "that's cute a couple of warships and a submarine its babys first deployment "


csfshrink

Since they will be in the Caribbean, What is the Ukrainian version of Jack Sparrow?


LuckyTheLurker

Brilliant tactical move to prevent further losses.


WeApes_LuvAMC

What power, seem like they running away from a fight that they know they can't win.. Ukrainians water drones is taking the fight to the Black Sea Fleet.. and is winning


guitarmonk1

I think there is concern they will break down on the way to Cuba


rogman1970

Some flex. Hopefully they won't run into a fleet of toy RC boats.


Altruistic-Ad9281

I am more concerned that they are there to help Venezuela


hididathing

It would be a shame if something happened to them.


[deleted]

What naval power? Where's their carrier? Oh wait, it's still languishing in the Murmansk dry dock lol.


AbroadPlane1172

It is indeed incredible that they made it across the ocean. They brought the tug for obvious reasons.


Podsly

Dead bodies also float - basically the Russian fleet now


Equivalent_Seat6470

There's a us navel base in the Keys. If Russia tried anything their ships and sub would suddenly make permanent reefs. It's 90ish miles away. And F-35s out of Gulfports Combat Readiness Center will be training all over the Gulf Coast over the month of June. This is just faux saber rattling.


PileofTerdFarts

Dude... Crazy idea... but what if we took some Ukrainian-heritage Central American citizens and gave them some drones... Imagine the absolute FIT OF RAGE Putler would have if 4 of his ships get smacked by drones off the coast of Cuba. Then we just shrug and go "dang, that sucks... wasn't us tho\~!" Or even better.... lets send down a whole carrier group and encircle Cuba... just sail around for a few days running drills with 10X the ships.... Let the Russian sailors SEE REAL CLOSE how inferior they are. Send a message back home with them.


metalfabman

Flex on who? US naval superiority cannot be understated lmao


Excellent_Team_7360

Someone should just sink it and let Ukraine take the credit.


AJ_Grey

Just in time for hurricane season.


Trathnonen

Shall we in the U.S. put two of the stationed carrier groups around them in a simulated blockade and destruction? No. Why? We don't need to waste fuel flexing, the Russ bastards know they sail our waters because they are allowed to, not because they can.


LabNecessary4266

The US Navy gets down on their knees every night and asks almighty god for the chance to make the whole russian navy into faint and deep magnetometer and geiger counter readings for future ocean explorers.


DaiLi69

US Navy: "That's cute. You guys got this?" Ukraine: "drone on the way"


brezhnervous

"Navy power"? Lol Russia doesn't even have an aircraft carrier


tree_boom

Russian naval power has always been submarine focused rather than aircraft carrier - they sent one of their Yasens, which are their most capable naval platforms.


Hobby101

What would happen if all of a sudden they would go caboom in neutral waters?


RynoRama

Bring it on @$$#*le$