Russia may return military base in Cuba
The State Duma has not ruled out Russia intensifying military-technical cooperation with Cuba and resuming operations at the electronic intelligence center located in the Havana suburb of Lourdes, which Russia abandoned in 2002. Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Security Dmitry Gorovtsov told Izvestia following State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin's official visit to Cuba.
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According to him, it is no coincidence that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Cuba in February of this year, and President Vladimir Putin visited Cuba last summer. As the parliamentarian noted, the delegation led by State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin also contributed to this, which also took part in the events of the Cuban Ministry of Defense.
“I believe that in the near future we will be able to restore the radar station in Lourdes, which was first used by the USSR and then by the Russian Federation,” Gorovtsov emphasized
The radio-electronic center in Lourdes was the main Soviet and then Russian foreign electronic intelligence center. Its construction was completed in 1967, after which it was used for its intended purpose until 2002. The center played a key role in obtaining intelligence information during the Cold War. The equipment was repeatedly upgraded: the center’s capabilities made it possible to intercept data from American communications satellites, ground-based telecommunications cables, as well as messages from the American NASA mission control center in the nearby US state of Florida.
Renting a military base cost Russia $90 million in 1992, $200 million in 1996-2000. Payment was made in the form of supplies of food, timber, petroleum products and military equipment. In addition, Cuba was given access to information received by the center relevant to its security. The maintenance of military personnel, whose number reached 1,5 thousand people, cost another $100 million annually.
In 2001, Vladimir Putin, counting on “anti-terrorist” friendship with the United States after the September 11 attacks, announced the liquidation of the base; the final withdrawal of military personnel from it was completed in 2002.
Russia May Return Its Military Base in Cuba