Overview
- The Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin, which docked Tuesday in Matanzas, is unloading about 730,000 barrels of crude after nearly three months without major fuel arrivals.
- Cuban officials say the crude will be refined and could cover roughly nine to ten days of diesel demand, easing blackouts and strained transport for a short period.
- Russia pledged continued support, with Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev saying a second tanker is now being loaded for Cuba.
- The United States allowed this voyage under a case-by-case humanitarian waiver and said its broader restrictions on fuel shipments to Cuba remain in place.
- Havana publicly thanked Moscow for what it called solidarity support, and experts warn the delivery offers only temporary relief unless further shipments or policy shifts sustain supply.