MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/. The interest of Russian travelers in going to Cuba is growing steadily, with 186,000 people having visited the island in 2024, which has become a new milestone, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s article for Cuban media devoted to 65 years since recovery of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Havana.

"The interest of Russian citizens in visiting Cuba for tourism purposes has notably increased in recent years. In 2024, the number of Russian travelers annually coming to the island reached a record-breaking 186,000 people," he said.

The minister also noted the deepening of educational ties between Moscow and Havana. "The program of annual provision of 100 grants for educating Cuban students in Russian universities is being successfully implemented. Eight open education centers for learning Russian have started functioning on the island since 2023. In 2024, Russian universities opened two geological classes in Cuban universities, as well as a center for targeted training of specialists in the area of energy and electronics," he said.

The countries also collaborate in such sectors as energy, industry, agriculture, technologies, education, culture, and sports, Lavrov added. "The extension of the portfolio of bilateral investment initiatives is under discussion, with their total number currently surpassing 100," he stressed.