Cuba Denies Involvement in the War in Ukraine

Cuba on Saturday firmly rejected United States assertions that it is participating in the military conflict in Ukraine or has sent soldiers to the front lines.

“Cuba rejects the false accusations that the United States government is spreading about Cuba’s alleged involvement in the military conflict in Ukraine,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

Since September 2023, 26 Cuban nationals have reportedly been sentenced to prison terms ranging from five to 14 years for mercenary activity, amid reports that Cubans were being deployed to fight in Ukraine.

A US State Department spokesperson told AFP earlier this week: “We’re aware of reports that Cuban nationals are fighting alongside Russian troops in the Russia-Ukraine war. The Cuban regime has failed to protect its citizens from being used as pawns in the Russia-Ukraine war.”

In May, a Ukrainian initiative aimed at encouraging enemy combatants to surrender, known as “I Want to Live”, claimed it had data on over 1,000 Cuban mercenaries recruited by Russia since early 2023.

“We reliably know the names and personal details of 1,028 Cubans who signed contracts with the Russian Armed Forces in 2023-2024,” the project asserted.

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by saying it does not have precise information on Cuban nationals participating in the conflict, whether:

• Voluntarily on their own, or
• Within the military forces of either side

The ministry emphasised: “It is irrefutable that none of them have the encouragement, commitment, or consent of the Cuban State for their actions.”

Relatives of Cubans who left for Russia in 2023 told AFP that their loved ones had been deceptively recruited through social media advertisements, suggesting coercion or misinformation in the enlistment process.

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