Castro Says Cuba Owes No Apology to U.S. Over Russian Bombers

Cuba's former President Fidel Castro said his country has no need to apologize to the U.S. over reports that Russia might start sending nuclear bombers to the island nation. Castro, 81, praised his brother Raul, now Cuban president, for maintaining silence about the reported Russian plans. He provided few hints himself about the accuracy of the information, which appeared in Russia's Izvestia newspaper. ``You need nerves of steel in these times of genocide, and Cuba has them. The empire knows it,'' Castro said in an online commentary posted yesterday on www.cubadebate.cu, referring to the U.S. ``There's no need to give explanations, to provide excuses or to apologize.'' The U.S., whose plans to deploy elements of a missile- defense system in two former Soviet satellite states in eastern Europe have strained relations with Russia, warned Russia on July 22 not to cross a ``red line'' by sending nuclear bombers to Cuba, a Cold War ally of the Soviet Union. Izvestia reported on July 21 that Russia plans to use Cuba as a refueling base for nuclear bombers. Crews of a supersonic Tu-160, a nuclear bomber known as ``White Swan,'' and Tu-95, which the North Atlantic Treaty Organization dubs ``Bear,'' are on the island nation doing reconnaissance work and inspecting infrastructure, the Moscow-based newspaper said today, citing unidentified Russian Defense Ministry officials.