Havana: Russia has taken measures to evacuate its citizens from Cuba as the island nation grapples with a severe oil crisis. The Russian National Air Transport Agency announced modifications to flights, allowing only return journeys from Havana and Varadero to Moscow to facilitate the evacuation of Russian tourists stranded due to fuel shortages.

According to Thai News Agency, there are approximately 5,000 Russian tourists currently in Cuba. This evacuation plan comes amid predictions that by 2025, at least 130,000 Russians would visit Cuba, positioning them as the third-largest group of foreign visitors after Canadians and Cubans living abroad. However, Canadian airlines such as Air Canada, Air Transat, and WestJet have already reduced flights to Cuba due to the ongoing fuel crisis.

In response to these developments, Russia's Ministry of Economic Development has advised its citizens against traveling to Cuba. The fuel crisis, exacerbated by a US blockade on Venezuelan oil imports, has severely impacted Cuba's energy supply. The blockade intensified after the US detained the Venezuelan leader in January, further destabilizing the region's oil distribution.

TASS, the official Russian news agency, reported that the Russian embassy in Havana is working with Aeroflot and Cuban aviation authorities to ensure the safe evacuation of Russian nationals. Aeroflot has already scheduled evacuation flights, and the Russian government is preparing to send oil and gas products to Cuba as humanitarian aid. Russia, a longstanding ally of Cuba, has criticized the US government's actions, accusing it of crippling the Cuban economy.

Cuba has been under significant economic strain for years due to sustained US sanctions. The situation has deteriorated further since Donald Trump resumed office for a second term, imposing tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba. This has led to widespread power outages, affecting essential services and reducing government employees' working hours. UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres has issued warnings about the potential collapse of Cuba's humanitarian situation if the oil shortages continue unabated.