The Russian oil tanker Anatoli Kolodkin, carrying 740,000 barrels of crude oil equivalent to 100,000 tons, arrived on Tuesday at the port of Matanzas in western Cuba, while the country is mired in a severe energy crisis amid the siege by the United States. The vessel, which belongs to the U.S.-sanctioned Sovkomflot corporation, departed from the Russian port of Primorsk on March 9, 2024, and is the first oil shipment to arrive on the island in the last three months. The tanker was seen around 8 a.m. (12:00 GMT) maneuvering to dock at the port of Matanzas, the island's main oil gateway. Cuba has been experiencing a serious crisis since mid-2024, which deepened with the oil siege imposed by the U.S. government in January. The Cuban authorities' inability to meet energy demand has resulted in prolonged daily blackouts and an almost complete halt of the economy. Experts note that after the arrival of the oil from the Anatoli Kolodkin, it will take 15 to 20 days to process it, and another five to ten days to deliver its refined products. The Russian shipment could be converted into 250,000 barrels of diesel, enough to cover the country's demand for a little over twelve days. Meanwhile, Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, stated on Monday that her government is working with Cuban authorities to reactivate oil supplies to the island. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, assured that the United States allowed the arrival of a Russian oil tanker for "humanitarian reasons" and will analyze "case by case" whether to authorize the arrival of other vessels. The Kremlin, in turn, promised to continue providing assistance to Cuba. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press conference that "Russia considers it its duty not to stand aside and offer the necessary help".
