Russia's civil aviation authority said Wednesday that two major Russian airlines are helping to repatriate their citizens from Cuba amid a shortage of aviation fuel on the island.
Rosaviatsia agency reported that Rossiya Airlines changed their flight schedule “to ensure the evacuation of Russian tourists currently in Cuba.”
Rossiya, owned by Russian aviation giant Aeroflot, and Nordwind Airlines, a Russian holiday airline, announced on the same day that they were suspending flights to Cuba and would only offer one-way tickets from the island.
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What's happening in Cuba?
All parties pointed to “difficulties with refueling planes in Cuba.”
“From February 12, several one-way return flights from Havana and Varadero to Moscow will be launched to enable the return of Russian tourists currently in Cuba,” Rossiya Airlines said.
Nordwind Airlines, a Russian tourist airline, announced that it will only operate repatriation flights from the resorts of Varadero, Holguín and Cayo Coco.
The Russian Tourism Industry Union estimated last week that there are at least 4,000 people in Cuba. Russian tourists.
The announcements came after Cuban aviation authorities warned on Monday that jet fuel would not be available at the island's international airports for a month.
Cuba relies heavily on oil supplies from Venezuela, but stopped receiving them on January 3when Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured by US forces.
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Mexico is a distant second as an oil supplier to Cuba, but it also halted exports to the island after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on countries sending oil to Havana.
Canadian airlines cancel flights to Cuba
Canadian airlines, which operate one of the busiest routes to Cuba, said they were canceling flights to the island starting Monday. Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat said they would send empty planes to Cuba to pick up passengers.
Russian airlines are following suit.
In a subsequent statement, Rossiya announced that it was organizing at least six one-way flights from Cuban airports to Moscow and that it would suspend all operations to this island state until February 24.
Both Rossiya and Nordwind announced refunds to passengers affected by the changes.
“Both sides are analyzing alternative options for resuming flights in both directions in the interest of the citizens of both countries,” Rosawiacja wrote.
Russian ally under pressure
Cuba has long been considered a close ally of Moscow and a bastion of Soviet and Russian influence in Latin America.
Russia, isolated by international sanctions for its war against Ukraine, has recently been trying to expand economic and trade ties with Cuba, encouraging Russian companies from the banking, agricultural, IT and other industries to set up operations on the island.
In September, Ukrainian intelligence officials reported that The Kremlin has recruited over 20,000. Cuban citizens as mercenaries to fight Kiev's forcesand the island was among the main suppliers of foreign fighters.
Trump said earlier this month that his administration was in talks with Cuba as part of increasing pressure on the island.
— I think we will reach an agreement with Cuba – he told reporters.
Russia is not the only country concerned about Cuba's situation. On Tuesday, a spokesman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said during a press briefing that Beijing “firmly opposes the inhumane actions that deprive the Cuban people of their right to survive and develop.”
— China, as always, will do everything in our power to provide support and assistance to Cuba said spokesman Lin Jian.
The above text is a translation from American edition of Business Insider
