Cuba is preparing to receive its first shipment of Russian oil this year, as the island grapples with severe power outages and a crumbling energy grid. The Russian-flagged tanker Anatoly Kolodkin is approximately 3,000 nautical miles from Cuba in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to arrive in 10 days, according to Jorge Piñón, an expert at the University of Texas Energy Institute.
The vessel is carrying 730,000 barrels of fuel and is on the sanctions list of the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom following the war in Ukraine. Another ship, the Hong Kong-flagged Sea Horse, is reportedly transporting around 200,000 barrels of diesel to Cuba. Piñón noted that Cuba consumes roughly 20,000 barrels of diesel per day, but the cargo may not fully meet demand due to low storage inventories.
If confirmed, these would be the first Russian oil shipments to Cuba this year. The previous shipment arrived on January 9 from Mexico. Cuba produces only 40% of its petroleum needs, relying on imports from Russia, Mexico, and Venezuela. However, critical shipments from Venezuela halted after the US arrested President Nicolás Maduro in January, and Mexico stopped its oil shipments following threats from US President Donald Trump.
The energy crisis has led to 10-hour blackouts, reduced working hours, limited transportation, and a drop in tourism. Cuba has been facing a severe economic crisis since the start of the decade due to tightened US sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and internal financial reforms. Food and medicine shortages are widespread, and emigration has surged, particularly among young people and skilled workers.
