Russian tanker bypasses US oil blockade of Cuba

President Trump said the vessel, carrying 100,000 tons of crude, was allowed through on humanitarian grounds

Published 30 Mar, 2026 | Updated 31 Mar, 2026, Russia Today

 Russian oil tanker Anatoly Kolodkin docks at Cuban port of Matanzas 

A Russian tanker has arrived in Cuba to deliver a humanitarian oil shipment amid a months-long US blockade that has led to severe fuel shortages and recurring power cuts across the island.

Russia’s Energy Ministry reported that the Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying 100,000 tons of crude oil, has docked at the port of Matanzas and now waits to be unloaded.

Despite US Coast Guard ships being present in the region, “the Trump administration did not order those vessels to act,” an official familiar with the matter told the New York Times.

“Barring orders instructing it otherwise, the Coast Guard planned to let the tanker reach Cuba as of Sunday afternoon,” the source added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened tariffs on countries exporting fuel to Cuba. However, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, he confirmed that Washington had allowed the Russian tanker through on humanitarian grounds.

Russian oil tanker Anatoly Kolodkin docks at Cuban port of Matanzas © RT

“We don’t mind having somebody get a boat load because they need to survive,” he said. “I’d prefer letting it in, whether it’s Russia or anybody else, because the people need heat and cooling.”

Trump, however, added that he still expects Havana to “fail soon,” saying the US would be there to “help it out.”

The Caribbean nation has faced severe fuel shortages and power cuts in recent months after Venezuela, once Havana’s closest ally, halted oil shipments following pressure from Washington.

Multiple international fuel deliveries have been disrupted, vessels linked to Havana have struggled to secure supplies, and some have been turned away or intercepted – with at least one escorted away from Cuban waters, according to ship-tracking data.

Earlier this month, Havana agreed to enter talks with Washington in a bid to defuse tensions and avert a humanitarian crisis. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed that negotiations were ongoing and aimed at “finding solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences we have between the two nations.”

Trump, however, has not abandoned his stated intention to take over the island “one way or another.” On Friday, he said Cuba could be “next” following what he described as successful US military operations in Venezuela and Iran.

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Russian oil tanker arrives in Cuba as Moscow vows to stand by Havana

By Vladimir Soldatkin and Dmitry Antonov

March 30, 2026

 

MOSCOW, March 30 (Reuters) - Russia said on Monday that an oil tanker carrying 100,000 metric tons of crude oil had arrived in Cuba and that Moscow would stand by its friends by working on further supplies despite a U.S. blockade of the Communist-run island.

 

The U.S. ⁠cut off Venezuela's oil exports to Cuba after toppling Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, and U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to slap punishing tariffs on any other country that sent crude to Cuba. But Trump on Sunday signaled he was reversing course and expressed sympathy for the Cuban people's need for energy.

 

The Anatoly Kolodkin was waiting to offload at the port of Matanzas, Russia's transport ministry said. The Kremlin said it had raised the issue of the tanker during talks with the U.S. but that Russia felt ‌it had ⁠a duty to support "friends" in Cuba. "This issue was indeed raised in advance during contacts with our American partners," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

 

Cuba has not received an oil tanker in three months, according to President Miguel Diaz-Canel, and its energy crisis has caused blackouts across the country of 10 million. Health officials say ⁠the crisis has increased the mortality risk for cancer patients, especially children.

 

Cuba became dependent on the Soviet Union for oil after its communist revolution in 1959, and needs imported fuel oil and diesel to generate ⁠power.  Asked if further Russian shipments would follow, Peskov said: "In the desperate situation that Cubans now find themselves in, this, of course, cannot leave us indifferent, so we will ⁠continue to work on this."  LSEG ship-tracking data showed the Russian tanker had left the Russian Baltic Sea port of Primorsk on March 8 and was now moving along Cuba's northern shore.

 Russian Energy Minister Confirms Oil Shipments to Cuba

The Moscow Times, March 25, 2026

Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev confirmed Wednesday that Russia is sending “humanitarian” shipments of oil to Cuba after ship-tracking data earlier appeared to show that at least one tanker had unloaded Russian crude in Havana.

Cuba, which imports around 60% of its energy supply, previously relied on oil sold by Venezuela. Those shipments ended after then-President Nicolás Maduro was captured in a U.S. military raid.

An energy embargo imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to bring pressure for a change in the island’s political system has compounded years of deep economic crisis and led to more frequent blackouts across the Caribbean nation.

“We are sending humanitarian aid. We are providing humanitarian support,” Tsivilev told reporters.

“Cuba has found itself in a difficult situation as a result of sanctions pressure. That is why we are currently sending humanitarian supplies to Cuba,” he added.

The Financial Times reported last week that a Russian tanker delivered gasoline to the island earlier this month. In response to that reported shipment, the U.S. Treasury Department amended a sanctions waiver for Russian oil tankers, barring transactions that include Cuba.

Several aid vessels carrying solar panels, bicycles, food and medicine have also been dispatched to Cuba in recent days. Those humanitarian deliveries have been organized by groups of politicians, activists and other public figures from dozens of countries.

Trump has said that he is prepared to “take” Cuba. Authorities from both countries acknowledged that they are holding talks, although they have not disclosed details. Amid the U.S. pressure campaign, the Kremlin has reaffirmed its support for Cuba and has expressed concern over the growing humanitarian crisis on the island.

Will the U.S. stop it? 

Russian tanker with desperately needed oil closes in on Cuba 

By Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald 

March 25, 2026 

A Russian oil tanker carrying hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude is steadily approaching Cuba, setting up a high-stakes test of Washington’s willingness to enforce its tightening energy embargo on the island as it grapples with a deepening fuel crisis. Jorge Piñón, an energy expert at the University of Texas at Austin, said the vessel — the Anatoly Kolodkin — appears to be maintaining a steady course toward Cuba. “This morning—when I checked it; I hadn't checked it just now—it was en route to Cuba. It is maintaining a speed of roughly 12 knots,” Piñón said. “I imagine it should arrive sometime within the next six days. However, for the moment, it hasn’t changed either its direction or its speed.” 

Ferrying an estimated 700,000 to 730,000 barrels of Russian crude across the Atlantic, the tanker is widely believed by analysts to be heading for the Cuban port of Matanzas, despite broadcasting a misleading destination. Its approach comes at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension, as the United States seeks to tighten pressure on Havana while managing global energy disruptions triggered by conflict in Iran and ongoing confrontations with Russia. 

Looming decision for Washington 

The tanker’s expected arrival is emerging as a key test of U.S. policy toward Cuba under President Donald Trump, whose administration has effectively imposed a de facto oil embargo on the island. In a move underscoring that stance, the U.S. Treasury Department last week amended a temporary waiver allowing certain sales of sanctioned Russian oil to explicitly exclude shipments to Cuba, as well as Iran and North Korea. 

That leaves open a central question: What will the United States do if the tanker presses ahead? 

“Here, anyone can say whatever they want, but at the end of the day, what we really have to watch for is what actually happens when that time comes,” Piñón said. “Are they going to board it? Are they going to stop it? Are they going to fire a cannon shot at it? What exactly are they going to do?”  U.S. officials have not publicly outlined their response, but analysts say options could range from diplomatic pressure to maritime interception by the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard, which maintain a strong presence in the Caribbean. 

Cuba’s worsening energy crisis 

The potential delivery comes as Cuba faces one of its most severe energy shortages in years. The island has received only two oil tankers so far this year, contributing to chronic power outages that have become a daily occurrence. The situation worsened further when another tanker originally bound for Cuba diverted to Trinidad and Tobago, depriving the island of a much-needed shipment. Russia has described its support as humanitarian. Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev said Wednesday that Moscow is supplying fuel to Cuba as aid, though he did not provide details. If delivered, the crude could provide only temporary relief. Cuba’s aging refineries would need roughly two to three weeks to process the oil into usable fuels such as diesel, Piñón said. 

Broader geopolitical signal 

A second vessel, the Hong Kong-flagged SeaHorse, has added to the uncertainty. The tanker, believed to be carrying about 190,000 barrels of Russian diesel, spent weeks drifting in the Atlantic before diverting toward Venezuela, according to tracking data. Analysts say its unusual movements — including disabling its tracking signal — are consistent with tactics used to evade sanctions. For many observers, however, the significance of the Kolodkin goes beyond the fuel it carries. Russia’s move is widely seen as a geopolitical signal — a way to test Washington’s resolve in the Western Hemisphere at a time when the United States is already managing conflicts involving Ukraine and Iran. Whether the tanker is allowed to dock, turned away or intercepted at sea could shape not only Cuba’s immediate energy outlook, but also the broader balance of power playing out across the region. For now, Piñón said, the focus remains on the ship’s steady advance — and the uncertainty that lies ahead. “It hasn’t changed either its direction or its speed,” he said. “Now we wait to see what happens.”

 

Solidarity with Cuba from many quarters

From various parts of the Americas, expressions of solidarity with Cuba are pouring in, taking the form of material aid and a brotherly embrace

Author: Nacho Machín | internet@granma.cu

March 2026 

Photo: Nieves Molina

"It is time to take stock and march united; we must walk in close formation, like silver in the roots of the Andes." It seems as though these words by Cuba’s National Hero, José Martí, in his essay Our America, were written for the times we are living in.

From that America, the one our Apostle dreamed of, while many lack decency, others are making common cause in defense of Cuba, offering human and material support to a people suffering due to the hostile and genocidal policies of the U.S. government, which have recently intensified through an energy blockade.

A solidarity convoy, carrying material aid from Brazil, Colombia, the United States, Uruguay, and Mexico—thanks to the work and efforts of political parties, union leaders, and others who identify with the cause—is arriving in Havana these days.

Medicines, food, medical supplies, school kits, and other essential items are part of the cargo of the Our America convoy, which on March 19th made its third delivery in our country.

David Adler, founder of the initiative and a participant in the Global Sumud Flotilla that attempted to bring humanitarian aid to Palestine, told Granma that "this convoy seeks to raise awareness among the millions of people who identify with the Cuban cause."

"We understand that what we are bringing here is not enough to meet the needs of the Cuban people today. What Cuba needs are energy resources; it needs to break free from this brutal blockade imposed by the U.S. government; but we hope this will serve as a spark for a new international solidarity movement that can and must inspire governments to provide this oil and break that blockade. It would mean clearly saying no to the blockade and yes to economic, social, and political cooperation," he argued.

The idea for this solidarity aid emerged last February, following the new measures imposed on our country, and received such strong support that it was expanded to include shipments by air and sea.

"Thousands of people have contacted us, representing political forces—including unions and workers, social movements, and indigenous communities—as well as the political parties that represent us in parliaments and governments around the world. Given such widespread commitment, we decided to expand this into a convoy," Adler argued.

"We are not here solely through personal effort, but to bring the hope and solidarity of millions of people across every continent to show that we stand with Cuba," he concluded.

"A PEOPLE WITHOUT A SOUL HAS LITTLE FUTURE"

Around noon on March 19th, when the first flight of the day arrived, it brought a clear message, later confirmed by Fernando Pereira, current president of Uruguay’s Frente Amplio: "A people without a soul has little future."

And when speaking of the soul of the nation, we must remember how much Cuba has helped the world. It is that humanity, which has served on every continent, that is the essence of the country.

"We are also grateful for the support we received when Uruguay’s Frente Amplio won, making Operation Miracle possible—an initiative that treated nearly 100,000 citizens for cataracts or glaucoma, enabling elderly people and those with low incomes to see again. These things are not forgotten, and the parties that show gratitude when things are at their worst are the ones that should be there," Pereira stated.

"Starving a people or depriving them of fuel is one of the worst practices imaginable, something that should be condemned by all nations. Naturally, we strongly condemn such inhumane actions. We stand here with a people who have shown great courage over the past six decades—and continue to do so now—as they seek a way out of such difficult circumstances."

"We have great admiration for the process of nation-building they have undertaken, despite the difficulties. The left in the region cannot pretend there is nothing to be done," she emphasized.

Brazil also made its presence felt at the event. In the words of Mónica Valente, executive director of the São Paulo Forum, one of the goals is also to fight for an end to the economic blockade against the island.

"We are making efforts to help and achieve that victory humanity has been waiting for many years. Every year, the United Nations approves by a large majority the end of that policy, and yet it intensifies," she denounced.

She also noted that economic efforts are being made through fundraising to purchase and send solar panels, which would aid in electricity generation.

"You are warriors, very brave, who have been teaching us for many years that the struggle for our sovereignty is very important. Inspired by this example, we too resist U.S. pressure in Brazil,” he said in a message to the Cuban people.

The youth were not left behind. Alexandre Pupo, secretary general of the International Youth Organization for Ibero-America (OIJ), is also one of the members of the convoy, representing the organization’s 21 member states.

"We are here to demonstrate our solidarity and to say once again that the only thing these blockade policies do is harm the lives of the people, of young people, especially Cubans. We are not turning our backs on the situation, and we see Cuba as a beacon of hope for justice, because of all the courage shown over the years," he said.

FEW ARE HOSTILE

Just because the U.S. government’s policy toward Cuba is unfriendly doesn’t mean its people are. A prime example is the group Pastors for Peace, which has supported our cause for decades.

Faced with this new obstacle, their support could not be missing. Led by Claudia de La Cruz, executive director of the religious organization, a delegation arrived this Thursday with supplies and aid.

"It is very moving to arrive here, carrying on the legacy of Reverend Lucius Walker and Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, who created many beautiful things from a place of love and construction. Above all, it is a historic responsibility to be here with this people who are not alone, and never will be," she commented.

She also emphasized that the current U.S. administration does not represent the sentiments of the American people. "What we have brought is the love of the people of the United States for Cuba, and we oppose any aggression," she reaffirmed in her commitment to defense.

"We are here as people of faith and conscience, and we understand that U.S. foreign policy goes against life; therefore, it goes against our principles and values," said the activist, who ran for president of that country in 2023.

Members of the solidarity convoy will continue to arrive in the coming days, a testament to the success of the call to action, as well as the international support for this island that has been, and remains, an example of love, resilience, resistance, and humanity.

"Most states recognize the historical debt they owe to Cuba for its struggle for national and international liberation. We want to stir people’s hearts to recognize that debt and think about how we can repay it," commented David Adler, leader of the cause.

It is for this island—an example of love and devotion to others, and the driving force behind Latin America’s declaration as a Zone of Peace in 2014—that all the peoples of the world unite, regardless of flags, languages, creeds, or borders.

"What cannot be missing are men and women working for a different society, because a different world is necessary and possible. That struggle is not about how long something lasts or ceases to last; it is about how certain we are that the left can transform people’s lives," said Fernando Pereira, referring to the revolutionary process that began in Cuba in 1959.