The announcement comes as Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development has advised Russian tourists to avoid traveling to Cuba due to what it described as a “fuel emergency” affecting the island nation, News.Az reports, citing Russian media.
“In the near future, it is planned to deliver oil and oil products to Cuba as humanitarian aid,” the embassy said.
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The embassy also stated via its Telegram channel that it is coordinating with Russia’s national carrier Aeroflot and Cuban aviation authorities to ensure that Russian citizens can safely return home. Aeroflot has pledged to arrange special flights from Varadero and Havana to Moscow to facilitate the repatriation of travelers.
Cuba’s already strained energy situation worsened following the January 3 detention of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the US military. Venezuela, once a key oil supplier to Cuba, had been a major source of fuel for the country. Further pressure mounted on January 29, when the United States signed an executive order enabling Washington to impose tariffs on goods from countries that supply oil to Cuba. The order also declared a state of emergency over what it described as a threat posed by Cuba.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla sharply criticized the US measures, warning that they could lead to “a total blockade of energy supplies” to the island. He argued that the actions violate fundamental principles of international trade and would create “extreme living conditions” for the Cuban population.
