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The Cuban government has arrested 17 suspects for allegedly trafficking young people to fight in Ukraine with the Russian military, Aljazeera reports.
This was disclosed by the country’s Foreign Ministry which added that it was working to dismantle the network. It noted that the network operated in Cuba and Russia to facilitate Cubans joining the war against Ukraine.
“As a result of the investigations, 17 people have been arrested so far, among them the internal organiser of these activities,” Cesar Rodriguez, a colonel with Cuba’s Interior Ministry, said late on Thursday on a TV programme.
The minister did not disclose the identities of the arrested suspects but said the group's leader relied on two people residing on the island to recruit Cubans to fight in exchange for payment on behalf of Russia in Ukraine.
According to Cuban prosecutor Jose Luis Reyes, those involved in the scandal could face up to 30 years in prison, life in prison, or the death penalty, depending on the severity and nature of the crimes, which include human trafficking, fighting as mercenaries, and hostile action against a foreign state.
Russia, which has strong political relations with communist-run Cuba, has long been a popular destination for Cubans looking to escape the country's economic malaise.
Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a law last year that allows foreigners who sign up for military service in the Russian army to get citizenship through a streamlined process.
Cuba claims it has no involvement in the Ukrainian conflict and opposes the use of its citizens as mercenaries.
Russian media reported in May that many Cubans had signed contracts with Russia's military and were being transported to fight in Ukraine in exchange for Russian passports.
With growing losses and no substantial battlefield gains in months, Russia had already enlisted the assistance of private military groups such as Wagner Group mercenaries, which had hired troops directly from Russian jails.
Wagner also enlisted Syrian fighters to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
In June, it was reported that an Iraqi citizen who had been recruited from a prison had been slain while fighting for Wagner in Ukraine.