Russia has begun flying its citizens home from Cuba amid a deepening jet fuel shortage on the Caribbean island that has disrupted air travel and tourism. The Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia (Rosaviatsia) said this week that two major Russian carriers — Rossiya Airlines (part of the Aeroflot Group) and Nordwind Airlines — will operate outbound-only flights from Havana, Varadero and other resort destinations back to Moscow to repatriate tourists currently there. Once these repatriation flights are complete, regular scheduled services between Russia and Cuba are expected to be suspended until the fuel situation stabilizes.
The move comes as Cuba’s aviation authorities warned that jet fuel supplies at international airports are critically low, forcing airlines to adjust operations and cancel incoming flights. Rosaviatsia and Russian tour operators estimate around 4,000–5,000 Russian tourists remain on the island and will be brought home in the coming days.
The shortage of aviation fuel — tied to broader energy disruptions on the island — has also led the Russian Ministry of Economic Development to advise citizens against travel to Cuba and tour operators to suspend sales of Cuba holiday packages until conditions improve.
The situation has additionally affected international carriers, with some rerouting flights or canceling Cuba services due to the lack of guaranteed refueling for aircraft, underscoring the wider impact of the fuel crisis on global connectivity for the island nation — news as reported.
