The Admiral Gorshkov landed in Havana waters yesterday for a two-day visit as tensions between Russia and the US continued to rise. In a move that many are comparing to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, President Putin appears to be putting on a show of military might just miles from America’s coast. And with the powerful ship having to be escorted off the British coast by the Royal Navy in March, it has left Western governments fearing its true capability.
Following a multi-year delay, the Admiral Gorshkov – named after the famous former Soviet commander – was completed by the Russian Navy last July.
While Soviet-era warships certainly presented a threat to the US, experts say the new lead ship is a significant upgrade on its predecessors.
Weighing 4,500 tons, the Admiral Gorshkov is the largest surface warship to be built since the fall of the Soviet Union.
It is equipped for anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions – with a potentially deadly supersonic cruise missile as its primary weapon.
The missiles can travel at a speed of 1km/second (Image: GETTY)
The ship is considered Russia's most advanced vessel (Image: GETTY)
With an estimated range of up to 410 miles, it could easily target the south coast of Florida while stationed in Cuba.
Specialist Brahmos missiles can travel at up to 3 Mach – or 2301 miles
