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Russia has announced a temporary halt on flights to Cuba, citing challenges faced by airlines in refueling their aircraft on the island, according to aviation officials on Wednesday.
The Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia, Rosaviatsia, revealed on Telegram that the airlines Rossiya, affiliated with the Aeroflot Group, and Nordwind have had to revise their flight schedules due to fuel supply issues in Cuba.
In the upcoming days, Rossiya plans to conduct several flights solely from Havana and Varadero back to Moscow. These flights aim to bring Russian tourists home, after which services will be paused.
Once these return flights are completed, the airline will suspend its operations to Cuba until the fuel situation is resolved. The agency emphasized that this decision prioritizes “the interests of passengers.”
Image: Aeroflot and Rossiya aircraft parked at Moscow-Sheremetyevo International Airport in Russia, dated Sept. 16, 2021. (Credit: Leonid Faerberg/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The Transport Ministry and Rosaviatsia said they are maintaining close contact with Cuban aviation authorities and are exploring alternative options to restore two-way service.
The announcement comes two weeks after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over Cuba and authorized new measures aimed at choking off the island’s oil supplies.
A vehicle fills up at a gas station in Havana, Cuba, Jan. 28, 2026. (Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images)
In a Jan. 29 executive order, Trump said Cuba poses an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to U.S. national security and empowered his administration to impose tariffs on goods from any country that “directly or indirectly sells or otherwise provides any oil to Cuba.”
The order, which took effect Jan. 30, allows additional duties on imports from countries found to be supplying oil to Havana, part of what Trump described as a “zero tolerance” policy toward the Cuban government.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s website shows a Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM, an official alert issued to pilots about hazards or operational disruptions, was posted Feb. 10 for nine Cuban airports warning that Jet A-1 fuel is not available.
Passengers carry their luggage at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Cuba, July 2, 2025. (Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images)
The advisory covers Havana (MUHA), Varadero (MUVR), Cienfuegos (MUCF), Santa Clara (MUSC), Camagüey (MUCM), Cayo Coco (MUCC), HolguÃn (MUHG), Santiago de Cuba (MUCU) and Manzanillo (MUMZ), and remains in effect through March 11.