Russia dispatches oil aid to Cuba as fuel crisis deepens after Maduro capture

Russia will dispatch oil and petroleum products to Cuba as humanitarian aid in the coming days, the Russian Embassy in Havana announced. The shipment aims to alleviate an acute fuel crisis that has gripped the island following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and subsequent restrictions on Caracas's energy exports to Havana.

Evacuation Flights Organized

The diplomatic mission confirmed it is coordinating with Aeroflot and Cuban aviation authorities to facilitate the safe return of Russian citizens. The carrier announced evacuation flights will operate from Varadero and Havana to Moscow. Earlier this week, Russia's Ministry of Economic Development advised tourists against traveling to Cuba and instructed tour operators to suspend sales, citing an "extraordinary situation with fuel supply."

Strategic Context of the Crisis

Cuba's fuel shortages intensified dramatically after Jan. 3, when U.S. forces apprehended Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and prohibited the successor administration from supplying energy resources to the island. Venezuela had historically served as one of Havana's primary oil suppliers under bilateral cooperation agreements. Moscow's intervention signals its intent to fill the strategic vacuum left by Caracas's forced withdrawal, preserving a key ally's viability amid heightened U.S. pressure in the Caribbean.