Breaking the US Navy's Ring: How Russia Delivered a Strategic 100,000 Tons of Oil to Cuba
The arrival of the tanker 'Anatoliy Kolodkin' with 100,000 tons of crude oil at the end of March 2026 marked the end of Cuba's three-month energy paralysis and confirmed Moscow's strategic presence in the US 'backyard'.
TL;DR
- Russia delivered 100,000 tons of oil to Cuba in late March 2026, defying a US naval blockade.
- The delivery ended a three-month energy crisis on the island, which had led to 20-hour daily power outages and shortages.
- This action followed the US intervention in Venezuela, which cut off Cuba's primary oil supply.
- The Kremlin explicitly called the action a 'breach of the blockade', stating Russia could not ignore the suffering of the Cuban people.
- Cuban Ambassador Juan Carlos Marsan Aguilera confirmed the delivery was a message of Russian support.
- Analysts believe Russia took advantage of the US being preoccupied with the conflict in Iran.
- There are indications that Russian nuclear submarines may have provided military escort for the tanker.
- A similar show of force occurred in June 2024 when a Russian flotilla sailed towards Havana.