Russia has pledged to provide Cuba with approximately 80,000 tons of diesel fuel worth $60 million to assist the island nation in its energy crisis, Russian state-run RIA news agency reported on Friday, citing Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.

Cuba’s electric grid collapsed on Wednesday as Hurricane Rafael moved across the island with top winds of more than 115 mph (185 kph), damaging homes, uprooting trees and toppling telephone poles.

“Russia is ready to provide brotherly Cuba with emergency assistance in connection with the current situation in the energy sector, including the supply of about 80,000 tons of diesel fuel for the amount approved in accordance with the president’s instruction - $60 million,” Chernyshenko said.

On Thursday, the local authorities said they had begun restoring power to the eastern half of the island. Cuba’s energy grid failed several times last month.

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      • eldavi@lemmy.ml
        7·
        4 days ago

        the mexicans are hamstrung by the americans and every time they try; they get slapped down like the pemex application denial episode from last year when they tried to help cuba.

        • Skua@kbin.earth
          6·
          4 days ago

          Hamstrung or not, the delivery in that article is 70,000 tonnes of fuel. That’s almost as much as the Russian delivery in the article.

          • eldavi@lemmy.ml
            5·
            4 days ago

            hamstrung in how they way that they can offer it; the americans are coming down hard on the mexicans whenever they try to help and i think that the russians are one of the few countries that can do it since the americans would have to further deplete their arsenal of leverages to sanction them further for it.

      • humanspiral@lemmy.ca
        3·
        4 days ago

        They’ve donated solar to jump start how obvious the transition is needed for Cuba. Cuba is being slow on this, afaiu. Despite massive employment and economic boost it can provide. Diesel generators has always been the most expensive energy possible.

        2 more hurricanes projected to hit Cuba in next 2 weeks.