Great news: The Cold War is back on.
Russia has agreed to reopen a major Cold War listening post on Cuba that was used to spy on America, it was reported today.
Moscow-based daily Kommersant claimed Russia and Cuba have struck a deal ‘in principle’ after President Vladimir Putin visited the island last week.
Citing several sources within Russian authorities, the respected daily wrote: ‘The agreements were finalised while President Vladimir Putin visited Havana last Friday.
The Castro brothers’ patience has been rewarded. They now have alliances with Venezuela, Iran, and their old chum Russia is back with a KGB man at the helm.
The signals intelligence facility near Havana at Torrens, also known as Lourdes, was the largest Russian SIGINT site abroad, but has been mothballed since 2001.
It covered a 28 square-mile area with 1,000-1,500 Russian engineers, technicians, and military personnel working at the base.
Russia had closed the Lourdes spy base south of Havana on Putin’s orders to save money and due to a warming of relations with the U.S. after the September 11 attacks.
So much for that.
Reminder: Civil liberties hero and SXSW keynoter Edward Snowden fled the US on account of its spying, to the country that is now re-opening that Cuban base on account of spying.
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