![Cold war ghosts Why Russian warships are back in Havana](https://cdn.magzter.com/1588175106/1718420259/articles/l0iw7sUvd1718439208894/COLD-WAR-GHOSTS-WHY-RUSSIAN-WARSHIPS-ARE-BACK-IN-HAVANA.jpg)
"It looks like a dead whale," says Adolfo García, as he queues under the scouring sun. The Kazan is offlimits, but García is hoping for a tour of a second of the four Russian naval vessels that have just docked in the Cuban capital, the frigate Admiral Gorshkov.
The warships sent a cold war frisson when they arrived on Tuesday: a demonstration of Russia's ability to operate in the US's back yard just as the American president signs a 10-year security pact with Ukraine. "The Russians seem interested in sticking a finger in Joe Biden's eye," says William LeoGrande, a professor at American University, although comparisons to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis when the Soviet Union's attempt to place nuclear weapons in Cuba brought the world close to disaster - are "ludicrous", he adds.
The Cuban government says this is a friendly visit, that these ships carry no nuclear weapons, and "there is no threat to the region".
On an island growing increasingly cynical in the face of economic hardship, the queue to visit the Gorshkov seems a quaint distillation of the affection many Cubans feel for Russia, which goes back to the early days of the island's communist revolution. The Soviet Union was the Castros' staunchest supporter. Many Cubans, including García, were educated in the Soviet Union and many more speak Russian. "This visit is a symbol of the friendship of two nations," says José Rodríguez, an economist also waiting in the queue.
This story is from the June 15, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 15, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![Public asked to monitor decline in blackbirds](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1753296/Sbx3aNKS_1719984665078/PUBLIC-ASKED-TO-MONITOR-DECLINE-IN-BLACKBIRDS.jpg)
Public asked to monitor decline in blackbirds
Beloved of Shakespeare and the Beatles, the blackbird and its sweet song have captured the imagination of Britons for centuries.
![Chess prodigy, nine, is youngest player to be picked for England](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1753296/cCI2-oMcv1719984587646/CHESS-PRODIGY-NINE-IS-YOUNGEST-PLAYER-TO-BE-PICKED-FOR-ENGLAND.jpg)
Chess prodigy, nine, is youngest player to be picked for England
She is a nine-year-old prodigy who has already caused a commotion in the chess world with her fearless play and spectacular victories.
![Time for a change? Voters in super-safe Tory seat consider shift to the right](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1753296/xLvHhMZCs1719984331210/TIME-FOR-A-CHANGE-VOTERS-IN-SUPERSAFE-TORY-SEAT-CONSIDER-SHIFT-TO-THE-RIGHT.jpg)
Time for a change? Voters in super-safe Tory seat consider shift to the right
As the traders pack up under the striped awnings of the market stalls in the centre of Alford, east Lincolnshire, Matthew Warner is loading balls of yarn from his shop into the back of his car.
![Polls All signs point to a big Labour win - but final seat tally may still surprise](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1753296/YhojJUbMB1719984131628/POLLS-ALL-SIGNS-POINT-TO-A-BIG-LABOUR-WIN-BUT-FINAL-SEAT-TALLY-MAY-STILL-SURPRISE.jpg)
Polls All signs point to a big Labour win - but final seat tally may still surprise
It's been six weeks since Rishi Sunak, in his rain-sodden jacket, announced that the next UK general election would be held on 4 July.
![The disconnected Younger voters are unsure politics can change anything](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1753296/97oUihxmB1719983904272/THE-DISCONNECTED-YOUNGER-VOTERS-ARE-UNSURE-POLITICS-CAN-CHANGE-ANYTHING.jpg)
The disconnected Younger voters are unsure politics can change anything
A handmade banner bearing the words \"Generation Fucked\" hangs in the window of Earache Records in Nottingham. It is a relic of a past band signed by the label long ago.
!['No drama Starmer' How Labour plans to set tone as government that gets on and fixes things](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1753296/MLNphzAq41719983568341/NO-DRAMA-STARMER-HOW-LABOUR-PLANS-TO-SET-TONE-AS-GOVERNMENT-THAT-GETS-ON-AND-FIXES-THINGS.jpg)
'No drama Starmer' How Labour plans to set tone as government that gets on and fixes things
When the exit polls are announced at 10pm tomorrow, Keir Starmer will be watching from Labour headquarters in London. \"It's just another working night,\" he has told his senior team.
![Challenges Policies that Starmer's MPS could seek to influence](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1753296/2qrCV50-k1719982851135/CHALLENGES-POLICIES-THAT-STARMERS-MPS-COULD-SEEK-TO-INFLUENCE.jpg)
Challenges Policies that Starmer's MPS could seek to influence
While Keir Starmer may not end up with the majority that some of the polls have been predicting, the turnover of MPs at the election will potentially mean he has hundreds of new faces on his backbenches.
![Tory campaign More porkies than a whole farm of red piggy banks](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1753296/G9dNLLuNu1719982737528/TORY-CAMPAIGN-MORE-PORKIES-THAN-A-WHOLE-FARM-OF-RED-PIGGY-BANKS.jpg)
Tory campaign More porkies than a whole farm of red piggy banks
On Monday, a senior Tory said the party's current campaign was \"the worst in my lifetime\".
![End of an era as injured Murray pulls out of singles at Wimbledon](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1753296/-TSJ6YD1R1719982620602/END-OF-AN-ERA-AS-INJURED-MURRAY-PULLS-OUT-OF-SINGLES-AT-WIMBLEDON.jpg)
End of an era as injured Murray pulls out of singles at Wimbledon
Andy Murray's 19-year Wimbledon singles career has come to an end after a back injury forced him to withdraw from the men's draw at his final championships on the morning of his scheduled first round match yesterday.
![Nearly half of nursing students in England consider quitting](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1753296/xeTudvwWD1719982512763/NEARLY-HALF-OF-NURSING-STUDENTS-IN-ENGLAND-CONSIDER-QUITTING.jpg)
Nearly half of nursing students in England consider quitting
Almost half of nursing students in England have considered quitting before they graduate, according to the largest survey of its kind, which lays bare the worst workforce crisis in the NHS's history.