Tensions skyrocket: Russia send ships with weapons and oil to Cuba

The Cuban energy sector faces a critical systemic failure following a major fire at the Nico Lopez refinery, exacerbated by the loss of Venezuelan oil subsidies and a stringent US naval quarantine. Washington has intensified the embargo by pressuring regional partners like Mexico to cease shipments, while the US Navy enforces a maritime blockade. In response, Russia has announced emergency humanitarian fuel deliveries, though analysts suggest these shipments could serve as a cover for military assets, including long-range loitering munitions. While such a deployment would threaten the southeastern United States, Russia’s actual capacity to sustain Cuba's infrastructure or protect its own shadow fleet remains strategically limited. The situation represents a significant escalation in geopolitical tensions, placing Cuba at the center of a direct confrontation between US enforcement and Russian asymmetric signaling.

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