The Embassy of Russia in Cuba denied this Sunday a supposed statement that circulated on social media regarding the shipment of 200,000 barrels of oil to the island, amid the severe energy crisis the country is experiencing and increasing international reports about a shipment of Russian fuel en route to Havana.
"The Russian Embassy in Cuba announces that the information circulating on social media regarding the alleged statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia is false.", stated the diplomatic mission on its official channels.
In the statement, the diplomatic corps was emphatic: “The Russian Foreign Ministry has not issued any statement of this kind. We always recommend using official sources: the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, as well as the official accounts of the Foreign Ministry and our Embassy. Do not be misled!”
The denial comes after a text widely circulated that attributed to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs the confirmation of an immediate shipment of oil to Cuba.
The vessel Sea Horse and the Bloomberg report
On Friday, the agency Bloomberg reported that "the vessel Sea Horse is en route to Cuba with what is believed to be Russian fuel."
According to the report, the vessel, which is set to arrive on the island in early March, would be carrying approximately 200,000 barrels of diesel fuel, an essential fuel for transportation, power generation, and other critical activities.
Bloomberg specified that the Sea Horse received supplies via a ship-to-ship transfer off the coast of Cyprus and is likely transporting around 200,000 barrels of Russian diesel, according to data from the maritime intelligence firm Kpler Ltd.
The information was also presented as a movement that would test the oil blockade imposed on the Cuban regime by the Donald Trump Administration, in a context of increasing pressure on the island's energy supplies.
So far, there is no official statement from the Kremlin confirming the specific shipment mentioned by Bloomberg, aside from the denial published now regarding the text that circulated on social media.
Moscow raises its tone against Washington
The episode takes place days after the Russian government demanded that Washington show “common sense” and end the oil blockade, which, according to Moscow, exacerbates the already critical energy crisis in Cuba.
From the Russian capital, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described any attempt to impose a naval veto on the island as "unacceptable" and categorically rejected the U.S. accusations that Russian-Cuban cooperation poses a threat to the United States.
The statements were made during the official visit to Russia by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, who conducted a tour seeking political and economic support for the regime.
During the bilateral meeting, Lavrov stated that “together with most members of the international community,” Russia urges the United States to “show common sense, adopt a responsible approach, and abandon plans for a naval blockade.”
He also emphasized that Russia will continue to support the island "consistently" in the protection of its "sovereignty and security."
For his part, Bruno Rodríguez denounced the tightening of the embargo and asserted that Cuba will continue to "steadfastly advance in the defense of its independence and sovereignty."
Background of shipments and aid promises
A few days earlier, the Russian Federation embassy in Havana had confirmed that the Kremlin would send crude oil and refined products to the island in the form of "humanitarian aid."
“It is expected that the supply of crude oil and petroleum products from Russia to Cuba will take place in the near future as humanitarian aid,” declared a Russian diplomat in Havana, as reported by the newspaper Izvestia.
If a new shipment is confirmed, it would be the first delivery since February 2025, when Moscow sent 100,000 tons of oil to the island through a state loan of 60 million dollars.
A crisis without margins
Cuba consumes an average of 37,000 barrels daily, a figure that leaves little room in a scenario marked by prolonged blackouts, transport disruptions, and severe fuel shortages.
The restrictions on importing crude oil have worsened the situation in recent months.
In this context, any shipment of fuel from Russia would have an immediate impact on the country's energy stability.
However, while Moscow denies the viral statement and does not officially confirm the shipment referred to by Bloomberg, the arrival of the Sea Horse -if it materializes- will be viewed as a key indicator of the actual extent of Russian support for the Cuban regime.
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