HAVANA: Cuba has uncovered a human trafficking ring that has coerced its citizens to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine, its foreign ministry said on Monday (Sep 4), adding that Cuban authorities were working to “neutralise and dismantle” the network.
The ministry gave few details, but noted that the trafficking ring was operating both within the Caribbean island nation, thousands of kilometres from Moscow, and in Russia.
“The Ministry of the Interior … is working on the neutralisation and dismantling of a human trafficking network that operates from Russia to incorporate Cuban citizens living there, and even some from Cuba, into the military forces participating in war operations in Ukraine,” the Cuban foreign ministry said in a statement.
“Cuba is not part of the war in Ukraine,” the ministry added, adding that it would take action against anyone “who participates in any form of human trafficking for the purpose of recruitment or mercenarism for Cuban citizens to use arms against any country”.
Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that the government was “acting with the full force of the law” against trafficking operations.
The Russian government has not commented on the allegations.
Source: CNA
