U.S. has allowed a Russian tanker to reach Cuba

This move was intended to provide the island nation with much-needed energy supplies following several months of a de facto oil blockade by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, according to The New York Times.

The tanker, carrying approximately 730,000 barrels of oil and owned by Russia, was located a few miles from Cuban territorial waters on Sunday evening.

Traveling at a speed of 12 knots, the tanker is expected to reach its intended destination—the city of Matanzas in Cuba—by Monday evening.

The arrival of the Russian vessel will alter the course of the crisis in Cuba, which is rapidly escalating, giving the island nation at least a few weeks before its fuel reserves run dry.

Photo: MarineTraffic.