The last, 11th export flight for Russian tourists from Cuba departed from Varadero to Moscow on February 21 at 20:30 local time. Arrival at Sheremetyevo is scheduled for 18:20 Moscow time, according to the airport's online scoreboard.
The export flights were operated by Rossiya and Nordwind airlines. Rossiya operated four flights from Varadero and one from Havana; Nordwind - three flights from Varadero, one each from Cayo Coco and Holguin.
The acting General Consul of Russia in Havana, Alexei Nekrasov, stressed that we are talking about the planned export of tourists with return tickets, and not about evacuation: no evacuation flights are provided for or planned. Russians remaining on the island can get home through Latin America or Turkey with other airlines.
The reason for the cancellation of the flight program is the fuel crisis provoked by the US energy blockade. In early February, Cuba warned airlines about the lack of Jet A-1 aviation kerosene at nine international airports in the country.