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STORY: A Russian navy frigate and a nuclear-powered submarine on Wednesday churned into Cuba’s Havana harbor…

…a move the U.S. and Cuba said posed no threat, but was widely seen as a show of Russian force as tensions rise over the Ukraine war.

“The visiting Russian warships to Cuba are Vladimir Putin’s way of reminding president Biden that Moscow can challenge Washington in its own sphere of influence, too.”

William Leogrande is a professor at American University:

“This geopolitical alignment has echoes of the Cold War, but unlike the first Cold War, the Cubans are drawn to Moscow now not by any ideological affinity but by economic necessity. Cuba is in a desperate economic situation and Russia is the only country that has been willing to provide significant help, just as it did during the Soviet era.”

The stopover coincides with Cuba's worst social and economic crisis in decades, with shortages of everything from food, medicine and fuel and growing discontent on the streets.

According to Russia's defense ministry, the four Russian vessels sailed to the communist-run country on Wednesday after conducting "high-precision missile weapons" training in the Atlantic Ocean.

Cuba's foreign ministry said the fleet carried no nuclear weapons, something echoed by U.S. officials.

Curious locals, fishermen and police looked on.

CUBAN RESIDENT, MARIA ISABEL QUESADA: “It impresses me a little because I have never seen something so close, such a large ship of that magnitude…”

Last week, Cuba said that the visit was standard practice by naval vessels from countries friendly to Havana.

The U.S. has been monitoring the Russian vessels as they skirted the nearby Florida coast.

On Wednesday, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that such naval exercises were routine.

The Russian ships are expected to remain in Havana until June 17.