Russia to send oil to Cuba as humanitarian aid amid severe fuel crisis

According to the Izvestia newspaper citing diplomatic sources in Havana, Russia plans to deliver oil and petroleum products to Cuba as humanitarian aid in the near future. The Caribbean nation is currently experiencing a severe fuel shortage, which has led the government to implement emergency measures to conserve energy. These measures include reducing the work week to four days and introducing fuel rationing for private citizens. The crisis has been exacerbated by the cessation of crude oil deliveries from Venezuela and economic pressure from the United States. US President Donald Trump has previously threatened to impose additional customs duties on any country that supplies oil to Havana. As a result of aviation fuel shortages, several airlines, including Russian carriers, have announced the suspension of their flights to Cuba. The island's population of approximately 9.6 million people continues to face significant energy constraints affecting daily economic activity. This humanitarian shipment aims to alleviate the energy strangulation currently experienced by the Cuban government.