Cuba has announced the identification of a human trafficking ring involved in recruiting its citizens for Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Cuban foreign ministry released a statement stating that the government is actively dismantling this network operating from Russia, which aims to incorporate Cuban citizens, both living in Russia and Cuba, into the military forces participating in Ukraine’s military operations. The ministry also revealed that they have neutralized such attempts and initiated criminal proceedings against those involved. In response to the allegations, the Cuban Foreign Ministry accused the country’s “enemies” of spreading distorted information to tarnish Cuba’s image and falsely portray it as an accomplice to these actions.
While the statement did not provide specific information about the number of suspects or charges, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez emphasized in a social media post that the government is taking strong legal action against the trafficking operations. The ministry firmly stated that Cuba is not engaged in the war in Ukraine and will take action against anyone involved in trafficking Cuban citizens for the purpose of recruitment or mercenary activities against any country.
As of now, there has been no response from Moscow regarding these allegations. However, Miami’s America TeVe newspaper recently published testimonies from two teenagers who claimed to have been deceived into working alongside the Russian army on construction sites in Ukraine. One of the teenagers even released a video message seeking urgent help to escape the situation.
In another incident, a Cuban man revealed that he had joined Moscow’s armed forces with the hope of legalizing his status in Russia. This revelation comes at a time when Cuba and Russia are strengthening their ties, with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.
Meanwhile, Ukraine reported making some progress against Russian forces in the southern regions. However, the counteroffensive has reached a stalemate along most of the front line in recent weeks. It is noteworthy that Russia heavily relied on mercenary forces, particularly from the Wagner Group, recruited within its own borders, for its invasion of Ukraine. However, the leader of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was killed in a plane crash in late August, believed to be a state-backed assassination by Russia. Notably, foreign fighters, including those from the United States, have also fought and lost their lives alongside Ukrainian forces since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022.
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