HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba has uncovered a human trafficking ring that has coerced its residents to battle for Russia within the conflict in Ukraine, its overseas ministry stated on Monday, including that Cuban authorities had been working to “neutralize and dismantle” the community.
The assertion from Cuba’s overseas ministry gave few particulars, however famous the trafficking ring was working each inside the Caribbean island nation, hundreds of miles from Moscow, and in Russia.
“The Ministry of the Inside…is engaged on the neutralization and dismantling of a human trafficking community that operates from Russia to include Cuban residents dwelling there, and even some from Cuba, into the navy forces collaborating in conflict operations in Ukraine,” the Cuban authorities assertion stated.
The Russian authorities has not commented on the allegations.
Russia final yr introduced a plan to spice up the scale of its armed forces by greater than 30% to 1.5 million fight personnel, a lofty purpose made tougher by its heavy however of but undisclosed casualties within the conflict.
In late Could, a Russia newspaper in Ryazan metropolis reported that a number of Cuban residents had signed contracts with Russia’s armed forces and had been shipped to Ukraine in return for Russian citizenship.
It was not instantly clear if the Cuban overseas ministry assertion was related to the Ryazan report.
However Cuba’s authorities stated it had already begun prosecuting circumstances during which its residents had been coerced into combating in Ukraine.
“Makes an attempt of this nature have been neutralized and felony proceedings have been initiated in opposition to folks concerned in these actions,” the Monday assertion learn.
