Energy Crisis in Cuba: Russian Tanker Tests New US Blockade

The humanitarian situation in Cuba is deteriorating rapidly due to an effective maritime blockade imposed by the United States under the administration of Donald Trump. Analyses of satellite imagery and ship traffic data indicate that the Cuban tanker fleet has been almost completely immobilized. The country is grappling with critical shortages of fuel essential for cooking, transportation, and power plant operations, pushing the state system to the brink of collapse. In response to the escalating chaos, Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Pérez-Oliva announced a historic decision: private enterprises (MIPYMES) have been granted permission to independently import diesel and gasoline, provided they possess an OFAC license. A key element of the tension is the mission of the vessel Sea Horse, which, according to maritime intelligence reports from Kpler Ltd, is carrying Russian fuel and is set to reach Cuban shores in early March. This voyage is seen as a direct test of the effectiveness of the administration in Washington. Simultaneously, President Vladimir Putin has declared solidarity with Havana, though he has not yet presented concrete plans for massive financial support. Reports from the port of Mariel indicate attempts to secretly bring in raw materials from Russia and Panama to circumvent the embargo, confirmed by observations of tankers in the Matanzas bay. The current crisis exposes the weakness of Cuba's energy infrastructure and its total dependence on external supplies, which for years were provided by Venezuela and are now being attempted to be supplemented by Russia. Experts warn that if supplies are not restored in the coming weeks, the island faces a total blackout and paralysis of public services. The US administration maintains a hardline stance, claiming the blockade aims to weaken the authoritarian government in Havana, but the political and social cost of these actions is becoming increasingly high. US-Cuban relations have remained tense since the 1959 revolution. The most dramatic moment was the 1962 missile crisis, when the world stood on the brink of nuclear war after the discovery of Soviet missiles on the island. „We have always supported Cuba in its struggle for independence and the right to choose its own path of development.” — Władimir Putin marzec 2026 — planned arrival date of the Sea Horse tanker Emphasizes the humanitarian catastrophe and the impact of sanctions on ordinary citizens, criticizing the radicalism of the new US administration. | Accentuates the necessity of a tough stance towards the communist regime and supports tightening the blockade as a tool for regime change.