US Says Cuba Acquired 300 Drones
U.S. intelligence officials tell Axios that Cuba has acquired more than 300 attack drones from Russia and Iran, raising concerns in Washington about the island becoming a regional security threat. Cuba denies hostile intent, saying it has the right to self-defence, while U.S. pressure on Havana has intensified amid broader allegations involving Russian ties and Cuban fighters in Ukraine.
U.S. intelligence assessments indicate Cuba has quietly acquired more than 300 attack drones from Russia and Iran, prompting fresh concerns in Washington about the island’s growing military capabilities and regional implications, according to reporting by Axios. A senior U.S. official, speaking to Axios, said the intelligence shows Cuba has been stockpiling unmanned aerial systems of "varying capabilities" since 2023 and hiding them in strategic locations across the island.
The official warned that such technology, close to U.S. and Caribbean shores, is worrying because it could be of interest to a range of "bad actors from terror groups to drug cartels to Iranians to the Russians. It's a growing threat," the official said. Cuban government representatives have pushed back.
The Cuban Embassy in Washington posted on X that "like any country, Cuba has the right to defend itself against external aggression," and Cuba’s foreign minister Bruno Rodríguez accused U.S. officials of inventing pretexts to justify economic pressure and possible military action.
A top Cuban official also wrote on X that "Cuba neither threatens nor desires war." The Axios report comes as Washington steps up diplomatic and legal pressure on Havana. Justice Department is preparing to seek an indictment against former Cuban President Raúl Castro over his alleged role in a 1996 shootdown of exile group aircraft.
Last week, CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly traveled to Havana and urged Cuban leaders to dismantle their communist government, saying Cuba "can no longer serve as a platform for adversaries to advance hostile agendas in our hemisphere," according to U.S. officials cited by Axios.
U.S. officials also told Axios they estimate as many as 5,000 Cuban soldiers have fought for Russia in Ukraine, with Moscow allegedly paying the Cuban government roughly $25,000 per soldier. Intelligence intercepts purportedly show Cuban operatives learning from Iranian tactics, officials said.
What this means for the British Virgin Islands: while there is no public indication of an imminent threat to the BVI, the development underscores rising military activity in the wider Caribbean. Residents and local authorities should monitor regional diplomatic and security developments, as any escalation could affect air and maritime surveillance, disaster-response cooperation, and regional migration or illicit trafficking patterns.
The situation remains fluid and largely based on U.S. assessments; Havana maintains it seeks only self-defence and denies hostile intent.
Primary source: VINO