Russia has recruited over a thousand Cuban mercenaries for the war against Ukraine, - DIU

This was reported with reference to the DIU project "I Want to Live".

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Moscow is actively recruiting foreigners - including Cubans, Nepalese, Sri Lankans, and people from Central Asian countries.

They form the core of the mercenaries recruited by Russia for the war.

"We are reliably informed of the names and personal data of 1,028 Cubans who signed a contract with the Russian Armed Forces in 2023-2024," the report states.

According to preliminary estimates, the total number of recruited Cuban citizens may reach up to 20,000.

Recruitment is carried out under the scheme "bribe, deceive, force".

Mercenaries are offered jobs in Russia - in warehouses, construction, or security with salaries ranging from $2,000 to $2,500 per month, which is tens of times higher than the average income in Cuba (about $30).

Documents are signed in Russian.

In 2023, 17 people were arrested in Cuba for recruitment into the Russian army. They faced up to 30 years in prison or the death penalty.

However, according to intelligence, the scale of recruitment has only increased. Intelligence urges the Cuban authorities to stop sending their citizens to the war.