FT: A Cargo Of Oil And Gas From Russian Federation Is On Its Way To Cuba, To Which Trump Has Arranged A Power Blockade

• 19.03.2026, 13:06

Russia sent two tankers.

Two tankers carrying Russian oil and gas are on their way to Cuba, which has been effectively under an energy embargo for three months due to U.S. President Donald Trump's embargo.

Two tankers carrying Russian oil and gas are on their way to Cuba.

The Financial Times reports.

Two ships carrying Russian oil and gas are due to arrive in Cuba next week in what could actually be the first shipments to the island in three months under Donald Trump's energy embargo.

The cargo was made known through data from companies that track maritime traffic. One of the tankers is the Hong Kong-flagged Sea Horse, carrying about 27,000 tons of Russian gas. The investigative company Kpler concluded that in fact it is a disguised Russian vessel.

Another vessel, the Anatoly Kolodkin, goes under the Russian flag. It has more than 720,000 barrels of oil on board and is expected to arrive on April 4.

As far as is known, the last time Cuba received oil from Mexico was on January 9. After that, deliveries stopped under pressure from Trump. Oil from Venezuela, which has been a major supplier to Cuba, has been unavailable since the U.S. lightning operation and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The island's own production covers only about 40 percent of its needs.

The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier this week said it has "unwavering solidarity with the authorities and the brotherly people of Cuba."

Trump made a series of blunt statements this week that he could "take on Cuba" after the operation against Iran and that the United States could "do whatever it wants with the island" because of the difficulties caused by energy shortages there.