Cuban Mercenaries in Putin's War: Insights from a Dossier of 1,028 Recruits for Russia's Invasion

The disclosure of a list containing 1,028 Cuban nationals recruited by the Russian military to participate in the invasion of Ukraine has reignited one of the most significant international scandals involving the Havana regime. This information, provided by the Ukrainian project “I Want to Live,” unveils names, ages, documentation, and enlistment dates, exposing a massive and sustained recruitment pattern marked by deception, poverty, state complicity, and desperation.

This article introduces an investigative dossier by CiberCuba on the phenomenon of Cuban mercenaries in Ukraine, based on the review of 96 articles published over the past two years and a detailed analysis of the table leaked by Ukrainian activists. Here, the answers begin to unfold.

A Game-Changing List

The release of the list of Cuban mercenaries recruited by the Russian army marks a turning point in the Cuban regime's official narrative. For months, deserters' testimonies, reports from Ukraine, and social media allegations were dismissed as media fabrications. However, this list—with personal details such as names, birth dates, and passport numbers—validates what many suspected but couldn’t prove with documents.

The identities of these mercenaries now align with newsworthy names: those who died on the battlefield, were captured by the Ukrainian army, or were left stranded in Russian camps after being deceived. What was once a scattered scandal now forms a complete, verifiable, and undeniable map.

The list not only confirms suspicions but demands accountability. If a Cuban citizen—identified by their national passport—has signed a military contract with a foreign power at war, the Cuban state is obligated to respond legally and politically. In Cuba, "mercenarism" is not only illegal but classified as a serious crime. Yet, no public investigation into the hundreds of young people listed has been conducted, and any previously announced inquiry has vanished into official silence.

Why? Because addressing the issue would mean acknowledging they allowed these individuals to leave the country with proper documentation. Their departures were not clandestine. Someone looked the other way. In a nation where travel purposes must be declared to obtain a passport, the surge in Cubans seeking documents to travel to Russia should have raised alarms.

Silent Recruitment Network

Since early 2023, the Russian Federation has been actively recruiting Cuban citizens to fight in Ukraine. This operation lures those trapped in poverty with tempting offers: contracts of up to $2,500 per month, housing promises, and Russian citizenship.

However, this arrangement is fraught with pitfalls: documents are in Russian, the signatories don't understand what they're signing, and transfers to military zones occur without warning. According to published testimonies, for many, the war began upon arrival at a base where they were given a bulletproof vest, a rifle, and combat orders.

When this recruitment network was publicly exposed, it barely caused a stir in Cuba. In September 2023, the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) detained 17 people accused of involvement in the recruitment. Their names and charges were not disclosed, and there were no transparent judicial processes or official coverage.

Cuban and international analysts believe the government's silence was part of the mechanism: the regime not only knew about the network but tolerated—and possibly sponsored—it. Evidence supporting this theory can be found in statements, contradictions, and omissions. On one hand, Cuban Ambassador to Moscow, Julio Antonio Garmendía Peña, stated in an interview that his government "did not oppose" Cuban citizens joining the Russian army.

Anatomy of a List: Ages, Patterns, and Dates

The table revealed by the project “I Want to Live” not only discloses the names of the recruited Cubans but also allows for the demographic and operational profiling of this phenomenon. The first thing that stands out is the age: the average at recruitment was 36 years, with a broad and revealing range. There are youths as young as 18—like Joender Raúl Mena Álvarez-Builla and Alfredo Cámaras Benavides, both born in 2005—and adults over 60.

In total, there are eight cases above 60 and 129 between 50 and 60 years old, an alarming figure given the high-intensity warfare involved. The youngest recruits were, interestingly, the first to speak out. Two teenagers, newly arrived in Russia, recorded a video that broke the scandal, their faces still marked by fear and confusion. Their testimony was not just a complaint: it was a crack in the wall of silence.

Human and Political Cost

Beyond the fatalities, this phenomenon has exposed a system that excludes, pushes, and sacrifices young Cubans. In several testimonies, the parents of recruits stated that MININT officials knew what their children were planning and did not prevent it.

Ukraine, on its part, has reported to international organizations that the Cuban regime pretends to be unaware of the situation while indirectly cooperating by not sanctioning human trafficking or demanding the return of its citizens.

The systematic use of "cannon fodder" in so-called meat storms—mass suicide attacks—has led to dozens of Cubans losing limbs or lives in fields unfamiliar to them for a war that is not theirs.

The Ukrainian project that revealed the list maintains an active campaign to enable foreign soldiers to surrender voluntarily. Through their networks, they spread messages such as: “No matter what ‘golden mountains’ recruiters promise. It usually ends in death. Save yourself. Surrender.” Phone numbers, Telegram channels, and contacts remain active to assist any Cuban wishing to desert the Russian army and save their life.