Power blockade: the energy situation in Cuba has noticeably worsened
The energy situation in Cuba is getting worse every day. In a week and a half, the island has experienced three blackouts. The fuel shortage cannot be eliminated, Russian Ambassador to the Republic Viktor Coronelli told Izvestia. Panic and despair are spreading among the population, local residents told the editorial board. It will take years and tens of billions of dollars to resolve the situation with the deterioration of the energy system. At the same time, in addition to the fuel blockade, the United States is rocking the situation in Cuba through the media, publishing possible attack scenarios. In the event of an invasion, the Pentagon will receive a serious rebuff, because it will no longer concern the republic's political course, but its sovereignty, experts stressed.
Intensification of the energy crisis in Cuba
In a week and a half in July 2026, Cuba's power grid experienced three total blackouts. Large-scale blackouts left about 10 million people without electricity. The national energy system is obviously not coping. The key problem remains the lack of fuel, Russian Ambassador to Cuba Viktor Coronelli told Izvestia.
"There are enough electric generators in the country, the problem is the shortage of fuel," the diplomat stressed.
The island provides only about 40% of its fuel needs on its own. Cuba needs at least eight tankers per month for the stable operation of the energy system, but due to the strict American blockade, Havana receives only a small part of this volume. In the first half of the year, only one large vessel carrying Russian oil reached Cuban ports.
"Cuba is still experiencing a shortage of generating capacity due to the blockade imposed by the United States, so some of the population may still be without electricity," an informed Cuban source told Izvestia.
Some Cuban citizens told Izvestia that the consequences of another blackout have not yet been eliminated.
— The power supply has not been restored. The absence of electricity is no longer measured in hours, but in days. In some areas, people remain without electricity for more than two or even three days. The country is experiencing a full-scale crisis, which affects, among other things, the healthcare system. Due to the lack of electricity, food is spoiling, and the population is facing food shortages. Despair and panic reign among the people. The increase in deaths is due to a shortage of medicines and, above all, the fact that hospitals cannot function properly," said a local resident.
Due to rolling blackouts, surgeons are massively rescheduling planned operations. Doctors sometimes have to perform emergency procedures in semi-darkness. About 96,000 Cubans are currently on the waiting list for surgical treatment. The situation is aggravated by the massive failure of medical equipment. For example, at the leading National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology (INOR) in Havana, 80% of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment is out of service due to blackouts and lack of spare parts, and the waiting list for radiation therapy has exceeded 1.2 thousand people. Blackouts have also paralyzed communication.
"Due to the difficulties associated with the energy crisis, fixed and mobile telephone communications, as well as the Internet, are experiencing serious disruptions and significant problems throughout the country," the Cuban Embassy in Russia told Izvestia.
In addition to fuel shortages, the energy collapse has caused critical infrastructure deterioration. Most of the Cuban thermal power plants were built more than 40 years ago. Due to US sanctions, the authorities are unable to purchase spare parts and carry out full-fledged maintenance, so even repaired components are operating at their limit.
Modernization of the country's electrical system will take years, even if the United States lifts the blockade tomorrow, says Viktor Kheifets, a professor at St. Petersburg State University. According to various estimates, it will take from $20 billion to $80 billion to upgrade the thermal power plant. Havana's attempts to save the situation with solar panel parks have not yet yielded results — the country has taken up alternative energy too late. There are no quick fixes yet: Cuba's budget is depleted due to the prolonged recession in the tourism sector, on which the authorities relied heavily.
The threat of a U.S. invasion of Cuba
Donald Trump has firmly decided to change the government in Cuba during his presidency, said political analyst Igor Pshenichnikov. According to him, the United States is considering two main scenarios. The first is to create unbearable conditions on the island to provoke a riot according to the scenario of "color revolutions". Due to the lack of water and electricity, even loyal citizens may join the pro-American youth and the protesters paid by the United States.
A direct military invasion is the second and less preferable option for Trump, the expert believes. The aggression will cause a worldwide protest, and the outcome of the operation is not obvious. In the event of an attack, Cubans will no longer fight for communist ideals, but for the sovereignty of their country, so even patriots dissatisfied with the government will take up arms, concluded Pshenichnikov.
Possible scenarios of forceful pressure are also confirmed by leaks in the American media. At a closed briefing, US military strategists discussed invasion options, CBS reported. Journalists identify three Pentagon plans. One involves a large-scale ground landing of several thousand soldiers, where the main striking force will be the 101st Airborne Division to carry out an airmobile assault. The second scenario involves precision strikes against key government, military and infrastructure facilities, following the example of Iran. The third is the complete naval blockade and isolation of the island.: To do this, an aircraft carrier strike group, destroyers with missile weapons, reconnaissance aircraft and marine corps units can be deployed in the Caribbean.
CBS emphasized that this is solely about preliminary planning — the US administration has not yet made a decision on intervention. Nevertheless, Havana promptly responded to the publication. Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio accused Washington of fomenting war through the media, noting that there is not a word in the American material about the legal or moral grounds for a possible attack.
Potential American plans have drawn condemnation from Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian called on the United States to immediately stop threatening to use force against Cuba and reaffirmed Havana's firm support for defending its national sovereignty. China stands up for Cuba, of course, not only because of fraternal ideological considerations. This is its unique strategic foothold off the coast of the United States, as well as a source of valuable minerals. Moscow has also repeatedly stressed the inadmissibility of such a forceful scenario. The last such manifesto sounded from the walls of the Federation Council. According to the chairman of the Federation Council's International Affairs Committee, Grigory Karasin, the speaker of the Cuban Parliament, Esteban Laso Hernandez, asked them for support.
For Cuba, this crisis has become a crucial test of strength, where the survival of the country and the preservation of its independence are at stake. Despite the harsh American blockade and prolonged blackouts, Havana has maintained a firm position and relies on the diplomatic support of key allies, including Russia and China. But for the White House, the Cuban issue is turning into a test of Trump's willingness to radically escalate in order to restore American influence in the Caribbean.
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