By Shumaila Aslam
Bureau Chief,
Scandinavian News Finland
Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate has confirmed that at least 1,076 Cuban citizens have participated in combat on Russia’s side in the ongoing war against Ukraine.
Among them, 96 are reported killed or missing, though intelligence estimates suggest the actual number is likely much higher.
According to a U.S. State Department internal cable, cited by Reuters, around 5,000 Cubans have been involved in the conflict.
Earlier in September 2025, Ukrainian military intelligence official Andriy Yusov stated that at least 20,000 Cubans had completed paperwork and been recruited for the war.
This makes Cuba one of Russia’s largest military partners, alongside North Korea.
- Most Cuban recruits come from extreme poverty, making them highly vulnerable to Russian recruitment incentives.
- The average Cuban government employee earns just $17 per month, while Russian contracts offer over $2,000 per month for combat service.
- Such large-scale recruitment is unlikely to happen without the knowledge of Cuban authorities, indicating direct cooperation with Moscow. This has been described as literally sending citizens to frontline assaults near Donetsk.
- The U.S. State Department’s 2025 Trafficking in Persons report officially classifies Cuba’s recruitment of citizens for Russia’s war in Ukraine as a form of state-sponsored human trafficking.
Why This Matters:
- The deployment of Cuban soldiers shows how global conflicts are increasingly involving foreign fighters, often exploiting vulnerable populations.
- It highlights human rights concerns and the role of state policies in putting citizens in harm’s way.
- Analysts warn that such recruitment may prolong the conflict and increase casualties on both sides.
Cuba is supplying thousands of citizens to fight for Russia in Ukraine, with many recruited from extreme poverty.
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