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Old footage of Russian submarine in Cuba resurfaces as new

Misleading

Claim checked

“BREAKING: A Russian nuclear-powered submarine has arrived in Havana, Cuba today, just 90 miles from the United States. The submarine entered Havana harbor past the historic colonial fortress, with Russian sailors visible on deck.”

Published

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Verdict

Misleading

A viral social media post claiming that a Russian nuclear-powered submarine arrived in Havana, Cuba, "today" (May 4, 2026) is misleading. While the description of the event is accurate, it refers to a high-profile naval visit that occurred in June 2024, not 2026.

  • The submarine mentioned, the Kazan, did visit Havana alongside three other Russian vessels.
  • This event was widely documented by international media nearly two years ago.
  • There are no credible reports of a similar Russian naval arrival in Cuba occurring in May 2026.

5 reviewed sources behind this verdict.

Reasoning

The claim uses specific details—such as the submarine passing a historic colonial fortress and sailors being visible on deck—that match the arrival of the Russian Yasen-M class submarine Kazan in Havana on June 12, 2024.

Reports from The Guardian, Business Insider, and AP News confirm that the Kazan, the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, and two support ships conducted a five-day official visit to Cuba from June 12 to June 17, 2024. The visit was a significant geopolitical event at the time, occurring amid tensions over the war in Ukraine, but it is not a current event.

Search results for May 2026 show no news of a Russian fleet arrival; instead, current headlines in Cuban media (such as Cubadebate) focus on other topics like hantavirus investigations and diplomatic declarations. The viral post appears to be a "re-skinning" of old breaking news to appear current, a common tactic for driving engagement on social media.

Source quality: Multiple reputable news sources (AP, Guardian, Business Insider) provide exact dates and details for the 2024 event that perfectly match the claim's description. Current 2026 news feeds from Cuba do not mention any such arrival.

Key checks

  • Verification of the submarine's arrival date: The Kazan nuclear-powered submarine arrived in Havana on June 12, 2024, and departed on June 17, 2024. There is no evidence of a return visit in May 2026.

  • Matching visual and descriptive details: The claim's description of the submarine passing the 'historic colonial fortress' (Castillo del Morro) and having sailors on deck matches the specific reporting and photography from the June 2024 visit.

Confidence

High

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