Cuban Foreign Ministry: ‘Firm and clear historical position against mercenarism’

A press release from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrex) announced that the Ministry of the Interior (Minint) is working to dismantle “a human trafficking network that operates from Russia to incorporate Cuban citizens living there, and even some coming from Cuba.”

These Cubans are destined to participate in the war against Ukraine. The Foreign Ministry specifies that the Havana government “is not part of the war in Ukraine.” It also reiterates that the island maintains a “firm and clear historical position against mercenarism.”

In some Russian local media – the photo above taken from one of these – as well as in other networks, they show young people, identified as Cubans, filling out forms to join the Russian armed forces.

When the war began against neighboring Ukraine, the Moscow authorities opened the door to the incorporation of foreigners into the Russian army.

“This opening has a hook for Cubans here (Russia) in an irregular situation,” a person told this medium in anonymity. “They offer good pay, regularization of their status, shelter for their relatives after they complete a year of service,” added the source.

The official Cuban note reports that Cuban officials have “initiated criminal proceedings against people involved in these activities.”