Russia sends fuel to Cuba using ‘spoofing’ tactics, defying the Trump embargo: reports

(SeaPRwire) –   Maritime intelligence reports indicate Russia is secretly sending oil to Cuba via misleading shipping methods to get around U.S. sanctions, at a time when the island is struggling with fuel shortages and power cuts.

Per Cuban officials and the U.S. Embassy in Cuba, an alleged shipment occurred during one of Cuba’s most severe energy crises and just before a March 16 grid failure that left about 10 million people without power.

“The Hong Kong-registered tanker—unaffected by sanctions—exhibits AIS patterns that imply it falsified its position and probably traveled to Cuba to unload its cargo in early March,” stated Windward AI.

On March 18, The Financial Times also noted that another Russian-flagged tanker, the Anatoly Kolodkin, loaded with crude oil, was projected to arrive in Cuba by April 4.

The Moscow Times reported that on March 17, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists during a Cuba-focused briefing, “We stand ready to offer all possible support.”

These purported shipments took place as State Department senior officials informed [redacted] that current laws allow Cuban businesses and residents to buy oil, yet the Cuban government is blocking this possibility.

The official clarified that the U.S. oil embargo solely prohibits the Cuban government from purchasing oil.

In its March 18 report, Windward AI was the first to name the Sea Horse tanker as the primary vessel involved in the suspected secret oil delivery.

The company stated the ship is believed to have carried between 190,000 and 200,000 barrels to Cuba while acting in ways that align with sanctions avoidance. Even though the tanker isn’t sanctioned, Windward analysts highlighted multiple questionable actions.

These actions included turning off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) during a ship-to-ship transfer near Cyprus (where it probably loaded its cargo) and operating without Western insurance—both typical signs of sanctions evasion.

Additionally, the tanker frequently changed its declared destination: it first indicated Havana, then switched to “Gibraltar for orders”—a strategy often employed to hide the final delivery location.

Following its Atlantic crossing, the tanker seemed to drift while transmitting that it was “not under command,” with analysts proposing its AIS signals might have been tampered with to hide its actual position and actions.

These movements strongly suggest the tanker might have finished an unreported delivery to Cuba before restarting regular communications.

U.S. actions, which amount to an oil blockade, have disrupted fuel deliveries to the island since January 29.

This policy change came after significant developments in Venezuela and the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, which further restricted Cuba’s fuel supply and deterred other tankers from docking at its ports.

Donald Trump warned that nations supplying oil to Cuba could face tariffs, while Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel criticized the measures as an “economic war” and promised ongoing resistance in a post on X.

A U.S. official told [redacted] on March 17, “The only solution to Cuba’s energy crisis is to tackle the root cause of its economic problems: complete government control over economic activity.”

They added, “The government must implement major reforms, permitting privatization and enabling the Cuban people to support themselves.”

Another senior State Department official noted, “Otherwise, Cuba’s blackouts have sadly been a common occurrence for many years—a sign of the failing government’s incompetence and inability to provide even the most fundamental goods and services to its people.”

“This is the tragic outcome of more than 60 years of Communist governance. An island once considered the Caribbean’s crown jewel has fallen into extreme poverty and darkness.

“As President Trump has stated, the remaining parts of the government should strike a deal and finally allow the Cuban people to be free and prosperous, with U.S. assistance,” the official said.

On March 17, Trump told reporters, “Cuba is in really bad shape right now. They’re in talks with Marco,” then added, “We’ll be taking action regarding Cuba very soon.”