Moscow is actively preparing to evacuate Russian tourists from Cuba within the coming days as a severe fuel crisis, exacerbated by United States efforts to restrict the island's oil supplies, intensifies dramatically. This urgent situation follows warnings from Cuban aviation authorities that the country is perilously close to exhausting its jet fuel reserves, a development that threatens to cripple its vital tourism industry.
Immediate Evacuation Plans Announced
Russia's aviation authorities confirmed on Wednesday that two Russian airlines servicing the Caribbean island will operate outbound-only flights specifically to repatriate tourists before suspending all services indefinitely. This decisive action comes in response to the escalating fuel shortages that have left thousands of visitors stranded.
According to Russia's tourism board, approximately 4,000 Russian tourists are currently in Cuba. Many of these individuals are state employees, as Cuba remains one of the few destinations permitted for Russian officials under strict security service travel regulations, owing to the longstanding alliance between Havana and the Kremlin.
Widespread Travel Disruptions
In a significant parallel development, Canada's flag carrier, Air Canada, announced it will temporarily halt all flights to Cuba due to the fuel crisis. Several other airlines have reported rerouting planes to refuel at neighboring Caribbean airports to avoid the shortages on the island.
The tourism board has suspended all future tourist packages to Cuba indefinitely. In online chat groups, Russians remaining on the island have voiced complaints about severe fuel rationing and cuts to public transportation as shortages deepen. Some tourists reported being relocated to lower-grade hotels where electricity supplies are more stable and reliable.
Root Causes of the Crisis
Cuba's rapidly deteriorating situation stems directly from a move by the Trump administration last month that effectively instituted an oil blockade on the island. The last known delivery arrived via a tanker from Mexico in early January, but Mexico halted exports under intense US pressure.
Simultaneously, crude oil flows from Venezuela have completely dried up following a US operation in January that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, severing support from Cuba's most trusted energy supplier. This dual pressure has created a critical shortage with far-reaching consequences.
International Reactions and Solidarity
The Kremlin stated on Monday that the fuel situation in Cuba has reached a critical level, accusing US attempts to "suffocate" the island of causing significant difficulties. Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, separately affirmed Moscow's solidarity with Cuba, declaring readiness to "provide our friends with all necessary support together with other like-minded partners."
However, the specific form this support might take remains unclear. The Kremlin is currently engaged in sensitive negotiations with the Trump administration while maintaining its political and military focus on the war in Ukraine, leaving limited appetite for actions that could provoke Washington directly.
The unfolding crisis highlights the complex geopolitical tensions affecting tourism and energy supplies in the Caribbean region, with immediate humanitarian and logistical challenges taking precedence over diplomatic maneuvering.
