Ukraine has closed its embassy in Havana amid rising diplomatic tensions, citing Cuba’s failure to curb the recruitment of its citizens to fight alongside Russia in the ongoing war against Ukraine.
The move came as Kyiv voted against a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for an end to the US embargo on Cuba.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha explained that thousands of Cubans “have signed contracts, joining the ranks of soldiers directly engaged in combat operations on Ukrainian soil.”
“The unwillingness of Havana to stop massive deployment of its nationals in the Russian war against Ukraine constitutes complicity in aggression and must be condemned in the strongest terms,” added Sybiha.
Earlier this month, Ukraine’s military intelligence reported that at least 1,076 Cuban nationals have joined or are currently fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, with 96 listed as missing and presumed dead.
According to Kyiv, many were allegedly lured by fake online job offers for construction work, with private brokers arranging their travel and Russian embassies providing visas.
Fighting on Moscow’s Side
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, several reports have detailed the recruitment of foreign nationals to fight for Moscow.
In a recent statement, Kenya’s foreign ministry warned that citizens are being misled by fraudulent agents posing as recruiters for Russia, who use false information to send them into the war zone.
South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have reported that North Korea deployed over 10,000 troops to Russia last year, primarily to the Kursk region.
Seoul’s intelligence estimated that up to 2,000 of those soldiers have been killed on the battlefield.
According to Ukrainian military officials, around 20,000 North Korean workers are also taking part in Russia’s defense production, particularly in the assembly of Geran drones.
Moreover, Kyiv accounted for up to 1,338 Belarusian nationals who had joined Russian forces, with about a quarter reported killed.
Similar cases have also been documented involving citizens from Togo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Benin.
