Breaking News : Sanctioned Russian Tanker Enters Cuban Waters With 730,000 Barrels of Crude, Apparently With U.S. Acquiescence
A sanctioned Russian oil tanker has entered Cuban waters, poised to deliver the first major crude shipment to the energy-starved island in over two months, with reports suggesting Washington quietly stepped aside to allow it.
The Anatoly Kolodkin, a Russia-flagged vessel owned by state shipping company Sovcomflot and under U.S., EU, and UK sanctions, departed the Russian port of Primorsk on March 8 carrying approximately 730,000 barrels of crude oil. Maritime tracking platforms including Kpler, MarineTraffic, and LSEG confirm the vessel has now entered Cuban waters and is expected to offload at the port of Matanzas in western Cuba. In a notable detail, the vessel’s AIS transponder listed its destination throughout the journey as “Atlantis.”
The New York Times, citing a U.S. official, reported that Washington was allowing the tanker to proceed to Cuba. Bloomberg separately confirmed, citing two people familiar with the matter, that the Trump administration had decided not to block the delivery, a significant shift given that the U.S. Coast Guard had positioned cutters off the northeastern Cuban coast in recent days. The reason for this apparent reversal has not been officially stated.
Cuba has been in a severe energy crisis since losing Venezuelan oil supplies following the U.S. capture of Nicolas Maduro in January. Daily electricity deficits in March have reached between 1,700 and 2,040 megawatts, with blackouts exceeding 30 hours in some areas. Mexico’s Pemex also suspended shipments earlier in 2026 under threat of U.S. sanctions. Once the crude arrives, energy sector experts estimate it will take 15 to 20 days to refine and an additional 5 to 10 days to distribute, potentially yielding around 250,000 barrels of diesel, covering roughly 12.5 days of Cuba’s demand.
A second vessel, the Hong Kong-flagged Sea Horse, had earlier altered course away from Cuba and diverted to Venezuela, reportedly following U.S. pressure.
Analysts are divided on Russia’s intent. Some view the shipment as a geopolitical signal timed to the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict rather than a serious commitment to Cuba’s energy needs.
A former U.S. Embassy official in Havana, cited by Politico, assessed that Moscow is not genuinely focused on rescuing Cuba but rather on generating a strategic effect at low cost.
Sources: AFP, France 24, RFE/RL, Bloomberg, The New York Times, UPI, The Maritime Executive, Kpler (maritime analytics)