Friendship between the USSR and Cuba began 65 years ago after the success of the Cuban Socialist Revolution in 1959. Moscow supplied Havana with food, oil, agricultural machinery, weapons, etc., up until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Cooperation between the two countries was minimized in the 1990s for various reasons, but today there is a tendency to strengthen the trade and economic ties. Read below about the development of Russia-Cuba relations and what part Rostec State Corporation is playing in them today.
An ‘unsinkable aircraft carrier’ just steps from the USA
Diplomatic relations between the USSR and Cuba were established in 1942. A turning point in the relations between the two countries was 1959 when the socialist revolution took place in Cuba. After the establishment of a new regime, Cuba became a strategic and ideological partner of the USSR in Latin America.
The peak of cooperation was in 1962 when the Soviet military made a decision to expand the contingent in Cuba and to reinforce it with nuclear missiles. Ballistic missile battalions and up to 50 000 personnel were delivered to Cuba at that time.
The Caribbean Crisis brought the mankind to the brink of nuclear war, but finally the crisis was resolved. The Soviet Union removed the unpeaceful atom from Cuba and reduced the deployed forces up to 11 000. Generally, weapons and equipment amounting to more than 15 bln. US dollars were delivered from the USSR to Cuba from 1961 to 1991.
Viva la Cuba!
Besides the armaments cooperation, the Soviet Union provided comprehensive economic aid by supplying the widest range of products: oil and oil products, food, agricultural machinery and spare parts. Specialist training in a variety of areas was provided for Cuban students in the Soviet Union.
Photo: Combine harvesters made by Daldizel factory in Khabarovsk before shipment to Cuba. Khabarovsk, 1962. Photo by N. Surovtsev / Russian State Film and Photo Archive
Cane sugar was the leading export item for Cuba. The USSR assisted in the modernization of 156 sugar factories and construction of nine new sugar factories on the island. The world’s first sugarcane harvester factory was built in Holguín with Soviet assistance. A large medical center and children hospital were also built in this city with the help of Soviet professionals.
Old friends are best
The partnership was intended to last for many long years and the large projects were supposed to become successful and pay off the investments in the 1980s-1980s. However, the big socialist brother faced urgent problems of its own and the Soviet aid to Cuba wound down during the perestroika. The mistake was fully recognized closer to the early 21st century and Russia reached out to Latin America again.
Photo: Vladimir Putin and Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez in Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region. 2019
Rostec State Corporation is also involved in strengthening the relations between the two countries. Rostec’s representative promoting the interests of Rosoboronexport has been established on the island. Products made by Rostec’s companies are being delivered to Cuba. For example, Shvabe holding sent to Havana 15 000 tropicalized LED fixtures in spring this year.
Vehicles made by KAMAZ – the largest Russian truck manufacturer included in Rostec – are very popular on the island. More that 2 000 vehicles were supplied to Cuba under the contract from 2016 to 2018.
NOVIKOM bank, Rostec’s captive bank, supports the trade, economic and investment ties between the two countries. It was the first Russian bank that opened its representative office in Cuba in June this year.
Thus, the Island of Freedom is again becoming one of the key allies of Russia in Latin America after a long pause. Mutually beneficial cooperation between the countries is getting stronger and is moving from the strategic partnership level towards wider friendly relations, in particular, due to Rostec’s extensive business efforts.
