Russian oil tanker arrives in Matanzas with the first shipment of oil in nearly three months

The Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin made its entrance this Tuesday into the bay of Matanzas, becoming the in Cuba in nearly three months.

Pedro Rizo Martínez confirmed it on his Facebook account early this Tuesday, accompanying the text with photographs of the ship sailing through the morning fog off the coast of Matanzas.

"In Matanzas, the Russian tanker Anatoli Kolodkin is present. At this moment, the Russian cargo ship bringing solidarity to Cuba is entering the bay of Matanzas. It is the first tanker to arrive on the Island following the signing of the executive order by Trump and his blockade on the entry of fuels into the country," wrote Rizo Martínez.

The ship carries 100,000 tons of oil, equivalent to about 730,000 barrels, a shipment that represents a temporary relief for the island's critical energy situation.

Anatoly Kolodkin is part of the sanctioned Russian state shipping company by the United States since 2024, making his journey a matter of high diplomatic sensitivity.

The arrival of the ship was on Sunday, March 29, after weeks of uncertainty over whether Washington would allow the shipment to dock.

Moscow, for its part, acknowledged having had contacts with its American counterparts to manage the passage of the tanker, as reported by the Russian state agency TASS.

However, officials of the U.S. administration clarified that there has been no firm change in the sanctions policy, justifying the decision for humanitarian reasons.

Despite the relief brought by the arrival of the shipment, experts warn that the volume transported barely covers between seven and ten days of total consumption on the island, highlighting the depth of the energy crisis that Cuba is experiencing.