Russia has approved a 38 million euro ($43.27 million) loan for Cuba's defense sector, a senior Russian defense official was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

The deal was first announced in November after Russian President Vladimir Putin met Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Moscow.

It has now been finalized by Russia, Dmitry Shugayev, head of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said in an interview published in Russia's Kommersant business daily.

Kommersant had previously reported Moscow planned to grant Cuba a loan to buy Russian hardware such as tanks, armoured vehicles and possibly helicopters.

Communist-ruled Cuba is a close ally of Venezuela, where Moscow-backed President Nicolas Maduro is facing pressure from the opposition and Western governments to step down.