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Russian airlines Rossiya and Nordwind, which regularly connect Moscow with Cuban destinations such as Havana, Varadero, and Holguín, have decided to suspend their flights to the island due to a critical shortage of aviation fuel.
The decision was confirmed on Wednesday by the Russian federal aviation agency Rosaviatsia. In an official statement published on Telegram, the agency explained:
"Due to difficulties in fuel supply for airplanes in Cuba, the airlines Rossiya (part of the Aeroflot group) and Nordwind were forced to modify their flight schedules to the airports in this country."
According to the organization, Rossiya will operate only return flights - known as ferry flights, without passengers on the outbound leg - from Havana and Varadero to Moscow to evacuate Russian tourists stranded on the island in the coming days.
“Afterwards, the airline's flight program will be temporarily suspended until the situation changes,” emphasized Rosaviatsia.
Russia has enabled mechanisms for the full reimbursement of ticket costs for passengers who are not part of tourist groups, while technical solutions are being sought to resume operations.
Nordwind, for its part, has implemented forced adjustments to its schedule, although it currently maintains punctual flights to Holguín and Varadero.
However, sources from the Russian Ministry of Transport and the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) warn that bilateral air connectivity is severely compromised.
More than 4,000 Russian tourists in Cuba
The temporary suspension affects thousands of travelers.
According to official figures, around 4,000 Russian tourists are currently in Cuba, stranded by the partial halt of air traffic.
The operator Pegas Touristik, one of the main tour operators working in the Caribbean destination from Russia, confirmed that it has stopped selling new vacation packages to the island.
"The situation is stable and under control. All tourists currently in Cuba will return to Russia in an organized manner and within the expected timelines," the company assured.
A key partner in Cuban tourism
Russia is the second largest source of tourists to Cuba, only behind Canada. In 2025, more than 131,000 Russian citizens visited the island. For the Cuban government, this is a strategic market for its already weakened tourism industry, which is grappling with the impact of the pandemic, the intensification of the U.S. embargo, and the collapse of its energy infrastructure.
The disruption of flights represents a new blow to the sector, especially at a time when Cuba is trying to revitalize its economy through the influx of foreign currency via tourism.
Cuba without aviation fuel
The root of the problem is a warning the Cuban government issued last Sunday to international airlines: starting Monday, the island would be out of fuel for airplanes, due to what it described as an "energy siege" by the United States.
According to a report by the EFE agency citing two sources with direct knowledge, Cuban authorities notified foreign airlines that the country would be unable to guarantee the supply of JET-A1—the type of fuel used by commercial aircraft—starting this week.
The Russian government recently expressed its concern and assured that it is working closely with the Cuban authorities to find solutions. Presidential spokesman Dmitri Peskov stated:
"Through both diplomatic channels and other means, we maintain intensive contacts with our Cuban friends."
Peskov went further by accusing Washington of worsening the island's energy crisis:
"These suffocating measures by the United States are truly causing great difficulties for the country."
In that regard, he assured that Moscow and Havana are exploring "possible ways to address these issues, or at least alleviate them."
For the moment, Russian and Cuban authorities are in constant contact to monitor the situation. However, until fuel supplies are restored, regular commercial flights from Russia to Cuba will remain suspended.
The return of Russian tourists will occur in a phased manner through flights organized by Rossiya and possibly Nordwind, while other operators explore alternative routes or destinations less affected by the crisis.
The suspension of flights not only signifies a contraction of Russian tourism in Cuba, but also serves as a visible symptom of the progressive deterioration of the island's logistical infrastructure, increasingly pressured by external and internal factors that exacerbate the already critical economic situation.
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