Russia said to be considering Cuba as base for bombers

RUSSIA/CUBA: RUSSIA IS said to be considering the use of bases in Cuba as a refuelling point for its nuclear bombers, in a move reminiscent of the 1962 missile crisis.

The move would be in retaliation for the Bush administration's plan to site a missile defence shield in Europe. Russia says America's proposal for the shield in Poland and the Czech Republic poses a direct threat to its security.

Citing a "highly placed military source", a report in Monday's Izvestiya said the Kremlin wanted to use Cuba as a base for its long-range Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic nuclear bombers.

"While they are deploying the anti-missile systems in Poland and the Czech Republic, our long-range strategic aircraft already will be landing in Cuba," the source told the paper.

In 1962 Nikita Khrushchev, Russia's then leader, attempted to site nuclear missiles on the Caribbean island. His aim was to lessen the then strategic nuclear gap with the US. He eventually backed down and withdrew the missiles.

Izvestiya is owned by Russia's state gas giant Gazprom and reflects official thinking. It is frequently used by the Kremlin as a vehicle for leaking information.

However, Russia's defence ministry dismissed the report yesterday. "Russia, guided by its peaceful policy, is not creating military bases at the borders of other states," Ilshat Baichurin, acting head of the defence ministry's information department, said.

Russian defence analysts said last night there was little strategic point in using Cuba as a base. Russia's nuclear aircraft have a range of up to 1,900 miles, allowing them to fire a missile at the US from much further away than Cuba, defence expert Pavel Felgenhauer said.

- (Guardian service)

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times