operation Anadyr

• What did the Soviets provide for Cuba militarily?

  installed nuclear weapons, provided fighter planes, bombers and 14,000 ground troops. Nuclear weapons were both short- and medium-range (can reach 1,100-2,800 kilometres from launch sites).
• Why was Cuba of Soviet importance?

  Geostrategic reasons, can reduce the missile gap and allow military planning, as well as reducing spending on conventional military forces. - Deployment allows expansion and modernisation of Soviet nuclear arsenal, whilst still being able to have resources left to invest in non-military civilian economy.