The arrival of a sanctioned Russian oil tanker in Cuba is scheduled for Monday, defying a de facto blockade imposed by the United States on fuel supplies to the island, according to maritime transport data. The 'Anatoly Kolodkin', carrying 730,000 barrels of crude oil, was north of Haiti on Sunday, heading to the port of Matanzas, in western Cuba, according to maritime analysis firm Kpler. Cuba lost its main regional ally and oil supplier in January, when U.S. forces kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Subsequently, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on any country that would send oil to Cuba and even suggested the possibility of 'taking' the island. The Cuban government claims it has not received any oil supplies since January, which has deepened the energy crisis in this country of 9.6 million people. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has imposed emergency measures, including strict gasoline rationing. Fuel prices on the island have skyrocketed, public transport has been drastically reduced, and some airlines have suspended their flights to Cuba. The country suffered seven nationwide blackouts since the beginning of 2024, two of which occurred this very month. The 'Anatoly Kolodkin', which is under U.S. sanctions, loaded oil at the Russian port of Primorsk on March 8. It was escorted by a Russian Navy vessel through the English Channel; however, the two vessels separated once the tanker entered the Atlantic Ocean, according to the British Royal Navy. View of the city of Havana, Cuba.
Sanctioned Russian Tanker Arrives in Cuba
A Russian oil tanker under U.S. sanctions is heading to Matanzas, Cuba, carrying 730,000 barrels of crude. This arrival defies the American embargo and exacerbates the island's energy crisis, which has seen no fuel supplies since January, leading to gasoline rationing, soaring prices, and widespread blackouts.
