Russian fuel tanker turns back from Cuba after US warning, Bloomberg reports
Photo: the tanker was heading to Cuba with diesel fuel (Getty Images)
The tanker Sea Horse, carrying Russian diesel fuel, which was heading to Cuba, changed its destination to Trinidad and Tobago after a warning from the United States, Bloomberg reports.
In particular, the tanker altered its destination after the US clarified that the island does not have the right to receive Russian fuel.
According to vessel tracking data collected by Bloomberg and maritime intelligence firm Kpler Ltd., the tanker was carrying 200,000 barrels of Russian diesel. When asked whether the Russian oil was heading to Cuba, Russian officials declined to comment.
Meanwhile, another tanker, the Anatoly Kolodkin, is still sailing across the Atlantic Ocean toward the port of Matanzas in Cuba.
The US Department of the Treasury has added Cuba to the list of countries prohibited from receiving Russian oil. In particular, the license bans transactions related to the sale, supply, or unloading of crude oil or petroleum products originating from Russia.
US President Donald Trump recently made a controversial statement regarding Cuba. He suggested the possibility of establishing control over the island and said he has sufficient capabilities to influence the situation.
Notably, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel recently publicly confirmed that his country is holding talks with the United States amid an economic crisis and increased political pressure from the Trump administration.
In addition, the US President said Washington could soon either reach an agreement with Cuba or take other decisions regarding the island.
Earlier, Trump stated that Cuba has two possible scenarios: either agreeing to a so-called friendly takeover or facing what he described as a non-friendly option, adding that ultimately it does not matter.
