<P> The first consignment of R - 12 missiles arrived on the night of September 8, followed by a second on September 16 . The R - 12 was a medium - range ballistic missile, capable of carrying a thermonuclear warhead . It was a single - stage, road - transportable, surface - launched, storable liquid propellant fueled missile that could deliver a megaton - class nuclear weapon . The Soviets were building nine sites--six for R - 12 medium - range missiles (NATO designation SS - 4 Sandal) with an effective range of 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) and three for R - 14 intermediate - range ballistic missiles (NATO designation SS - 5 Skean) with a maximum range of 4,500 kilometres (2,800 mi). </P> <P> On October 7, Cuban President Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado spoke at the UN General Assembly: "If...we are attacked, we will defend ourselves . I repeat, we have sufficient means with which to defend ourselves; we have indeed our inevitable weapons, the weapons, which we would have preferred not to acquire, and which we do not wish to employ ." </P> <P> The missiles in Cuba allowed the Soviets to target effectively most of the Continental U.S. The planned arsenal was forty launchers . The Cuban populace readily noticed the arrival and deployment of the missiles and hundreds of reports reached Miami . U.S. intelligence received countless reports, many of dubious quality or even laughable, most of which could be dismissed as describing defensive missiles . </P> <P> Only five reports bothered the analysts . They described large trucks passing through towns at night that were carrying very long canvas - covered cylindrical objects that could not make turns through towns without backing up and maneuvering . Defensive missiles could turn . The reports could not be satisfactorily dismissed . </P>

When did the soviet union put missiles in cuba