In These New Times

Press TV
Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:02:07 GMT

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered planeloads of humanitarian aid to be sent to Cuba – recently battered by Hurricane Gustav.

“Under orders from the Russian president, the emergency situations ministry is sending a cargo of humanitarian aid to Cuba,” said spokeswoman for the Russian ministry for natural disasters and emergency situations, Irina Andrianova Tuesday.

She added that four planes would carry ‘construction materials, food and essential supplies’ for Cubans.

RIA Novosti quoted Andrianova as saying that the first two planes were scheduled to take off for Cuba on Wednesday.

Hurricane Gustav blew through western Cuba with 150 mile per hour (240 kph) winds, damaging around 86,000 houses and leaving much of the region without electricity.

While no death has been recorded in Cuba, some 250,000 people were evacuated in four western provinces.

The report comes amid White House claims that Russia is mulling reigniting its close relationship with its former ally Cuba in a counter-measure against the US ‘defense missile shield’ which will be built in Eastern Europe.