Cubans misled into fighting for Russia in Ukraine

Since the beginning of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, numerous Cuban citizens have reportedly enlisted in the Russian military, drawn by enticing promises of lucrative pay, Russian citizenship, and various job opportunities. With Ukrainian intelligence estimating nearly 20,000 Cuban recruits, approximately 6,000 to 7,000 are said to be actively engaged in combat on the front lines, positioning Cuba as the second-largest foreign military contingent after North Koreans. This recruitment strategy appears to have primarily relied on informal channels such as social media, word of mouth, and casual recruiters. Cuban recruits often claimed they were led to believe they would be undertaking non-combat roles, possibly in construction-related jobs, only to find themselves in active conflict zones. Many of these young Cuban recruits traveled to Russia without a visa, leveraging the allowance for Cuban citizens to enter Russia for up to 90 days without one. Testimonies from the recruits and reports suggest that they were subjected to contracts written in Russian, a language that most do not understand. This has led to claims that many were deceived into service. In addition to the concerning outcomes for the recruits themselves, Ukrainian officials have pointed fingers at the Cuban government, alleging that it has played a complicity role in facilitating this military pipeline. Legislator Maryan Zablotskyy has publicly asserted that about 40% of the Cuban recruits have ties to the Cuban military and has called for sanctions against the Díaz-Canel administration due to their alleged involvement in enabling this recruitment effort. The fallout from this recruitment strategy is severe, with reports indicating that at least 200 Cuban recruits have already lost their lives in combat, although some estimates suggest this number might be higher. The mixed signals from Cuban officials complicate the narrative, with President Miguel Díaz-Canel's public expressions of support for Russian President Vladimir Putin during this conflict further muddling the situation. These developments highlight a troubling trend where young Cubans, facing an economic collapse at home and drawn in by false promises abroad, find themselves in the midst of a brutal war thousands of miles away from their homeland.