US officials have raised concerns about expanding intelligence operations by Russia and China in Cuba, adding to fears in Washington about surveillance activities near US territory.
According to US intelligence assessments, published by The Wall Street Journal, Beijing and Moscow have been modernizing electronic surveillance facilities on the island and increasing intelligence personnel since 2023.
The report states that these facilities are positioned to monitor US military activity in the state of Florida, including communications related to US Central Command in Tampa and Southern Command near Miami.
According to the data, 18 known signals intelligence sites have been identified in Cuba. US officials claim that China operates three of them, while Russia operates two, with some facilities believed to be managed in cooperation with Cuban authorities. The rest of the sites are considered under Cuban control.
Washington sees these developments as part of a broader strategy by US rivals to strengthen their presence in the Western Hemisphere.
The Trump administration has used these intelligence findings to justify a tougher approach towards Havana, arguing that Cuba has become a base for Russian and Chinese operations near US territory.