Lourdes SIGINT station

{{Short description|Soviet spy centre in Cuba}}

{{Infobox military installation

|name = Lourdes SIGINT station

|native_name =

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|location = Cuba

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|map_type = Cuba

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|coordinates = {{coord|22|59|00|N|82|27|47|W|display=inline,title}}

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|built = {{Start date|1962}}

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|used = 1962–2002

|demolished =

|condition = Partially demolished/converted; scheduled for a reopening

|ownership = {{flagicon|Cuba}} Government of Cuba

|open_to_public =

|controlledby =

|garrison = {{flagicon|Russia}} Russian Intelligence (allegedly){{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-is-reportedly-reopening-its-spy-base-in-cuba-2014-7|title=Russia Is Reportedly Reopening Its Spy Base In Cuba|first=Michael B.|last=Kelley|date=July 16, 2014|work=Business Insider Australia}}
{{flagicon|People's Republic of China}} Chinese Intelligence (allegedly)

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File:Vladimir Putin in Cuba 14-17 December 2000-6.jpg, accompanied by Minister of Defense Igor Sergeyev, visits the settlement of homes of families of the employees of the Lourdes SIGINT station in Cuba, 15 December 2000]]

The Lourdes SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) facility, located near Havana, Cuba, was the largest facility of its kind operated by Soviet and later Russian foreign intelligence services{{cite web|url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/cuba/lourdes.htm|title=Lourdes [Cuba] Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) facility|date=17 July 2014|website=GlobalSecurity.org|publisher=GlobalSecurity.org|access-date=11 July 2019|quote=The SIGINT facility at Lourdes [...] was jointly operated by Russian military intelligence (GRU), FAPSI, and Cuba's intelligence services. The Federal Agency for [Government Communications and Information] (FAPSI) evolved in the early 1990s from the former KGB's SIGINT service. According to Russian press sources, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) also had a communications center at the facility for its agent network in North and South America.}}

outside of Russia. Located less than {{convert|150|km|abbr=on}} from Key West, the facility covered {{convert|73|km2|abbr=on}}. Construction began in July 1962.

The station purportedly closed in August 2002.{{citation|url=http://newsru.com/world/30aug2002/kuba2.html|title=С Кубы в Россию вывозят персонал и оборудование базы "Лурдес" [Personnel and equipment are taken from "Lourdes" base in Cuba to Russia]|date=August 30, 2002|publisher=NEWSru}}

All station facilities were shut down, the buildings were abandoned and later reconstructed to become the University of Information Science.

At its peak during the Cold War over 1,500 KGB, GRU, Cuban DGI, and Eastern Bloc technicians, engineers and intelligence operatives staffed the facility.{{cn|date=July 2019}}

The base closed in 2002. Russia had paid Cuba a $200 million annual subsidy from 1962 to 2002.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28340888|title=Putin denies Russia plans to reopen spy base in Cuba|publisher=BBC News|date=17 July 2014|access-date=July 18, 2014}}

In July 2014 reports surfaced that Russia and Cuba had agreed to reopen the facility for usage by Russian intelligence.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-is-reportedly-reopening-its-spy-base-in-cuba-2014-7|title=Russia Is Reportedly Reopening Its Spy Base In Cuba|work=Business Insider|date=July 16, 2014|access-date=July 18, 2014}}