At least 1,076 Cuban nationals have fought or are currently fighting for Russia in Ukraine, according to Kyiv’s military intelligence agency, which reported that 96 of them are missing and presumed dead.
According to Ukrainian military sources cited by the Kyiv Independent, Cuban recruits undergo approximately two weeks of training at the Avangard training center in Moscow Oblast before being deployed to the front lines.
The agency added that some recruits are deceived into traveling to Russia after responding to online job offers for construction work promoted on social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Their travel is reportedly arranged by private intermediaries, who in some cases pay for flights, while Russian diplomatic institutions issue tourist or work visas.
The report follows recent US intelligence estimates suggesting that between 1,000 and 5,000 Cuban nationals have joined Russian forces in Ukraine.
Havana has dismissed these allegations, denying any involvement in the war or the deployment of Cuban soldiers.
Moreover, the Kyiv Independent reported that Cuban authorities have prosecuted individuals linked to recruitment networks, sentencing 26 people to prison terms of five to 14 years since September 2023 for alleged mercenary activity.
Mercenaries for Moscow
Mercenaries from several countries are reportedly being sent by Moscow to fight with Russian forces in Ukraine.
Earlier this month, Ukraine’s government-run initiative “I Want to Live” reported that at least 314 Belarusian citizens have died while fighting alongside Russian forces.
Since 2022, an estimated 1,338 Belarusian nationals have joined Russian forces, with roughly one in four reported killed.
In September, South Korea’s intelligence agency reported that up to 2,000 North Korean soldiers sent to support Russia have been killed.
Several similar cases have been reported involving African nationals from Togo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Benin.
