Russian tanker heads to Cuba, bypassing US sanctions amid island's energy collapse
Kyiv • UNN
The tanker "Sea Horse" with 200,000 barrels of Russian diesel fuel is heading to Cuba, despite US sanctions. The vessel is expected to arrive in Havana in early March 2026.
The tanker "Sea Horse", carrying about 200,000 barrels of Russian diesel fuel, is heading to the shores of Cuba, creating another challenge to the sanctions policy of the Donald Trump administration. According to intelligence company Kpler Ltd, the vessel received its cargo during transshipment off the coast of Cyprus and is expected to arrive in Havana in early March 2026. This is reported by UNN.
Details
The US administration significantly tightened control over maritime transport after the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and the forced cessation of oil supplies from Venezuela. Donald Trump imposed strict tariffs on any countries that help Cuba with energy, which led even traditional suppliers, such as Mexico, to refuse cooperation with the island.
Currently, the US Navy has already detained at least nine vessels that tried to deliver sanctioned fuel to Cuban ports.
Russia has come under deepened international sanctions due to the four-year war against Ukraine. We must act now to remove the tankers of the so-called shadow fleet from the seas and stop the flow of illegal barrels
The role of the Russian shadow fleet in the region
The use of the vessel "Sea Horse" indicates Moscow's attempts to support its allies in Latin America, despite its own isolation due to aggression in Ukraine. The Russian diesel fuel carried by the tanker is necessary for Cuba to operate power plants and provide transport, but the success of the mission remains questionable due to active patrolling by the US Navy. Increased measures by Washington and Europe to detect violating vessels make each such supply extremely risky and expensive for both sides.