Overview

• In an official statement, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said Cuba is not part of the Ukraine conflict and does not deploy military personnel there or in any other country.
• Authorities reported nine mercenarism cases brought to Cuban courts since 2023 involving 40 defendants, with 26 already sentenced to five to 14 years in prison.
• The government stated that any Cubans who joined the fighting were recruited by organizations based outside the island and acted without state authorization or consent.
• A U.S. State Department spokesperson told AFP they have knowledge of reports indicating Cuban citizens are fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine.
• Ukraine’s government-linked ‘I Want to Live’ project claims it has identified 1,028 Cubans who signed contracts with Russia’s armed forces in 2023–2024, a figure Cuba disputes.