Another major blow has hit Cuba as its economy gets decimated by US-led sanctions, and as Trump's embargo of vital Venezuelan oil for the island continues rolling downhill (Mexico had quickly followed suit by halting its oil to Cuba as well).
Amid the fuel shortage which has caused mass disruptions and flight stoppages at the main hub José Martí international Airport,two of Russia's largest airlines have announced the suspension of flights to Cuba.
Moscow has already declared operations toevacuate all Russian tourists and citizens who wish to leave, and so outbound-only flights to bring them home have been authorized.
Rossiya, part of the Aeroflot group, and Severny Veter (Nordwind), are impacted - and the outbound-only evacuation flights have been authorized to begin Thursday.
The airlines said they are being forced to redirect flight routes in the region "due to challenges with refueling in Cuba."
This follows on the heels of flagship carrierAir Canada being one of the first major international airlines to suspend flights. Canada currently has no economic sanctions against Cuba, and trades with the island-nation, having maintained diplomatic relations going all the way back to 1959.
While Americans have by and large been absent from the Caribbean nation, also given no direct flights from the US, Cuba haslong been a favored tropical vacation destination for Canadians.
Earlier this month international reports said Cuba was merely days from running out of fuel, and widescale power outages across various districts of the country have only worsened.
"The last known delivery came via a tanker from Mexico in early January, but Mexico halted exports amid US pressure,"The Guardiannotes. "At the same time, crude flows from Venezuela have dried up after a US operation in January that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, cutting off support from Cuba’s most trusted energy supplier."
Havana's lone primary international airport has seen drastic developments such as thefollowing:
Source: ZeroHedge News
