Cuba: Russian Tanker Defies US Blockade with Fuel Shipment
A Russian tanker under sanctions is expected to arrive in Cuba on Tuesday, challenging a US blockade on fuel supplies to the communist island. The Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying 730,000 barrels of crude oil, has surpassed the eastern tip of Cuba and is heading towards the port of Matanzas on the northwestern coast, sailing at a speed of about 13 knots (24 km/h).
Cuba, with a population of nearly 10 million, has not imported any oil since January 9th, when the last shipment from Mexico was received before Mexico stopped fuel exports under pressure from the White House.
Jorge Pinon, an expert on the Cuban energy sector, expressed surprise that the US did not try to intercept the Russian tanker. Once the ship enters Cuban waters, it will be almost impossible for the US government to stop it.
President Donald Trump declared on Sunday that it would not matter whether or not Cuba received an oil shipment from Russia, stating that it would have no impact on the island.
Cuba lost its main regional ally and oil supplier in January when US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Caracas had been Cuba’s primary fuel supplier for the past 25 years.
Cubans are experiencing frequent power cuts lasting over 20 hours, with at least seven national blackouts since the beginning of 2024, including two in March 2026.
President Miguel Diaz-Canel has implemented various measures to save fuel, including strict rationing. Fuel prices have skyrocketed, public transportation has been drastically reduced, and some airlines have suspended flights to Cuba.
Kremlin officials had discussions with Cuban counterparts on how to help the island, without confirming reports of a secret Russian diesel delivery.
Once the Anatoly Kolodkin’s cargo arrives in Cuba, it will take 15 to 20 days to process the oil and another 5 to 10 days to distribute the refined products. The Russian cargo could yield 250,000 barrels of diesel, enough to cover the country’s demand for about 12 and a half days.
The Cuban government will need to decide whether to allocate the fuel to emergency generators or to buses, tractors, and trains essential for keeping the economy running for two weeks.
The Anatoly Kolodkin, subject to American sanctions, loaded oil at the Russian port of Primorsk on March 8th. It was escorted by a Russian naval vessel through the English Channel and separated once the tanker entered the Atlantic Ocean, according to the British Navy.
