Russia to reopen spy base in Cuba

Moscow: Russia has provisionally agreed to reopen a major Cold War listening post on Cuba that was used to spy on the United States, a Russian daily reported on Wednesday. Kommersant reported that Russia and Cuba had agreed “in principle” to reopen the Lourdes base, mothballed since 2001, citing several sources within Russian authorities.

“The agreements were finalised while President Vladimir Putin visited Havana last Friday,” the  newspaper wrote. Russia had closed the Lourdes spy base south of Havana on Mr Putin’s orders to save money and due to a rapprochement with the US after the September 11 attacks. But Moscow has since shown a new interest in Latin America and its Cold War ally Cuba and relations with the West have deteriorated amid the Ukraine crisis.