The Kremlin has added its voice to tributes still pouring in for Fidel Castro, referring to him as a ‘true friend’ and an ‘inspiring example’. Relations between Moscow and Havana date back to the 1950s.  And while they were tested during the collapse of the Soviet Union, they are still flourishing today. CCTV correspondent Julia Lyubova met with Cubans living in Russia for their take on the two countries' relations. 

Elvis Hernandez Oro runs a busy Cuban restaurant in Central Moscow. He has been living in Russia since 1993 and thinks that Russian-Cuban relations are now at their best.

Elvis was sad to learn about the death of Fidel Castro but says that special ties between Moscow and Havana will continue growing. 

"I have noticed convergence between Russia and Cuba in recent years. I’m sure that even after Raul leaves, relations will remain the same. We have a lot in common, which brings us together. Fidel’s departure will not change it," he said.

Raul Castro is expected to step down as the Cuban President in 2018 and many believe this will bring big changes to the country. But Elvis thinks that even after Raul leaves office, Cuba will continue leaning more towards Russia than the United States.

This could be especially true as the Kremlin called Fidel Castro ‘a true friend of Russia’, while President-elect Donald Trump referred to him as ‘a brutal dictator.’ Vladimir Putin may be skipping Fidel Castro’s funeral but Moscow made it clear it is business as usual with Havana.

Numerous Russians came to the Cuban Embassy in Moscow to lay flowers and tie ribbons to show their condolences after hearing the news of Fidel Castro’s death.

For many he was an iconic leader and a long-term ally. 

"I'm sure that for the Cuban people as well as for our relations with Cuba, Fidel Castro did more than anybody else. And of course, he made a great contribution into the maintenance of morality on the international arena, something that we all don't have enough of today," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Like Elvis Hernandez, many Cubans living in Russia do not expect this special relationship between Russia and Cuba to change.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence has recently floated the idea of restoring the Soviet naval base in Cuba. Whether that happens or not, Havana is set to remain a ‘true and reliable friend’ of Russia.