OIL CARGO COULD SHORE UP CUBA FOR A MONTH
Earlier in March, the US temporarily eased sanctions on Russia to help improve the global flow of oil that has been restricted by the US-Israeli war with Iran.
However, that measure also created exemptions that explicitly banned transactions involving Cuba and other places such as Iran, North Korea and Crimea.
The Anatoly Kolodkin departed from Russia’s Primorsk port carrying some 650,000 barrels of crude, LSEG ship-monitoring data showed.
Other reports said the vessel contained 730,000 barrels.
The official Cuban news outlet Cubadebate called the Russian shipment a direct challenge to the US oil blockade, after the Russian navy escorted the sanctioned vessel through the English Channel on its way to the Caribbean.
The New York Times, citing a US official briefed on the matter, reported that the US Coast Guard allowed the sanctioned vessel to sail to Cuba, though it was unclear why.
Blocking the tanker by force, however, could have escalated the risk of conflict with Russia at a precarious time in geopolitics.
Brett Erickson of the consulting firm Obsidian Risk Advisors said the arrival of Anatoly Kolodkin was significant in light of the British government allowing another ship from Russia’s shadow fleet, the VAYU 1, to pass through the English Channel after announcing last week it had authorised its military to board such ships passing through United Kingdom waters.
He said Russia has been receiving a “very big windfall from the war in Iran”, while also providing crucially needed oil for Cuba, whose strategic importance to Moscow has increased since the fall of allies in Syria and Venezuela and with Iran under attack.
“Havana doesn’t need very much oil to operate. The Kolodkin is carrying about two and a half weeks of oil, but that can be extended to about a month in total,” Erickson said, considering Cuban rationing.
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