Russia strikes Nikolaev port while Cuba expands solar energy use

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russian forces conducted strikes on the port of Nikolaev in Ukraine. The operation utilized precision air-launched weapons and attack drones to target a dry cargo ship carrying military equipment and a warehouse containing weapons and military supplies.

In Cuba, the government is accelerating a transition to solar energy to mitigate power outages caused by an energy blockade. Following the collapse of Venezuela's oil supply and the subsequent cutoff of fuel shipments by the United States in early 2026, the island has faced near-daily electricity shortages.

To address the crisis, Cuba has implemented new regulations to exempt solar equipment imports from customs duties and has expanded incentives for renewable energy. This shift is supported by significant aid from China, with solar panel exports from China to Cuba rising from $5 million in 2023 to $117 million in 2025. Recent developments include the construction of numerous solar parks intended to generate approximately 1,000 megawatts of capacity.