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How Cubans are recruited to fight for Russia

2023-10-09 08:19:14, Kosova & Bota CNA

How Cubans are recruited to fight for Russia

In the slums on the outskirts of the Cuban capital Havana, a large number of men have been recruited to fight for the Russian army in Ukraine. With a financial reward worth nearly 100 monthly salaries in Cuba, they are taken to train in Russia and then sent to fight in Ukraine. The Russian and Cuban governments have declined to comment on the issue, and Havana has in the past taken mixed stances on the recruitment of its nationals by the Russian military.

"I realized the contract was real when I got here. The Russian Federation brought me here. Everyone here knew why we had come," says Enrique Gonzalez.

He was working in construction in Cuba when he was recruited by Russia, like many other Cubans, to fight in Ukraine.

During a video link with his wife Yamidely Cervantes, who lives in their house in the small town of La Federal, in Cuba, he films the training camp where he is now, near Tula, near Moscow.

She says Mr. Gonzalez's decision to fight for Russia was made for financial reasons.

Just days after his departure, Ms. Cervantes received a portion of his $2,040 bonus. With Russia's money, it was thus given the opportunity to buy essential products that they lacked.

"We are doing it out of necessity. I am sure these men would not have gone there. My husband worked alone in construction, without any support. He worked a lot. One day he said: I can't anymore. I asked him what happened. He told me not to worry, I know what I have to do, but I can't do it anymore," says Mrs. Cervantes.

Russian authorities did not immediately respond to questions about Cubans being recruited into the Russian military. The Cuban government did not respond to questions on the matter either. The island country located in the Caribbean continues to be under the communist regime and experiences economic difficulties. According to local statistics, the bonus that Mr. Gonzalez received is about 100 times the monthly salary given by the state in Cuba, about $17.

Located near the capital Havana, the city of La Federal is experiencing great economic difficulties. According to 2022 data, one in four residents is unemployed.

In the unpaved alley where Ms. Cervantes's apartment is located alone, at least three men have left for Russia since word of the prospect of a job in the military spread in June.

"Some were recruited. Those who are left here are very few," says Mrs. Cervantes.

Recruits come from different walks of life. Someone was a shop assistant, another worked in a refinery. From interviews with many of them and their family members, as well as numerous WhatsApp messages, travel documents, photographs and cell phone numbers, an even more detailed picture emerges of how Cubans are massively supporting Russia's war machine. .

23-year-old Yoan Viondi says he was aware of dozens of men in the Villa Maria region who had been recruited into the Russian army since June.

He shows WhatsApp messages with a woman called "Dayana", who he says is a Russian recruiter.

Mr. Viondi keeps in touch with many friends who signed contracts with the Russian army. He says they are fine and most of them are already in Ukraine.

"Here you have to work hard to secure something, while facing many obstacles. So they all said: I'd better choose to do this, so I don't die of hunger in Cuba. They knew very well where they were going," says Mr. Viondi.

Despite his initial enthusiasm, he began to worry about going to Russia and cut off contact with the recruiter.

But "Dayana" continues to be mentioned as the main contact person for the people with whom Reuters news agency spoke. She herself did not respond to questions sent via WhatsApp. News of the Russian military recruits first emerged in September when the Cuban government, a longtime ally of Russia, announced it had arrested 17 people linked to a human trafficking ring that lured people to fight for Moscow. . Since then, the Cuban government continues to give mixed messages about the involvement of Cuban citizens in Russia's war.

Initially, the Cuban government said in September that it was illegal for its citizens to fight in a foreign army and that it was punishable by prison terms. But, a few days later, the Cuban ambassador in Moscow added that Havana is not opposed to the Cubans "who just want to sign a contract and legally participate in this operation of the Russian army." Cuba continues to maintain that its citizens are prohibited from fighting as mercenaries in other countries./ VOA





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