HAVANA — Cuban authorities have arrested 17 individuals in reference to what they described as a community to recruit Cuban nationals to combat for Russia in Ukraine.

The head of legal investigations for Cuba’s Interior Ministry, César Rodríguez, mentioned late Thursday on state media that no less than three of the 17 arrested are a part of recruitment efforts contained in the island nation.

He didn't establish the alleged members of the community however mentioned they'd earlier legal data. Some households began talking up concerning the case on Friday, and no less than one mom mentioned that her son was promised a job in development in Russia.

Cuba’s Foreign Ministry mentioned on Monday that the federal government had detected a community working from Russia to recruit Cuban residents dwelling each in Russia and in Cuba to combat in Ukraine. It mentioned authorities have been working “to neutralize and dismantle” the community however gave no particulars.

“Cuba is not part of the war in Ukraine,” the Foreign Ministry mentioned in a information launch.

Cuba and Russia are political allies and Cubans don't require a visa to journey to Russia. Many go there to check or to work.

In May 2023, a newspaper within the Russian area of Ryazan, about 100 miles (62 kilometers) southeast of Moscow, reported from a army enlistment workplace there that “several citizens of the Cuba Republic” signed as much as be part of the military. The Ryazanskiye Vedomosti newspaper quoted some Cubans as saying they have been there to assist Russia “complete tasks in the special military operation zone.” It additionally mentioned “some of them in the future would like to become Russian citizens.”

In Havana, prosecutor José Luis Reyes informed state TV that suspects are being investigated for crimes, together with being a mercenary or recruiting mercenaries, and will face sentences of as much as 30 years or life in jail, and even the dying penalty.

Marilin Vinent, 60, mentioned Friday that her son Dannys Castillo, 27, is among the Cubans recruited in Russia.

At her house in Havana, she mentioned her son and different Cubans traveled on the finish of July to Russia after being promised work in a development job. “They were all deceived,” she mentioned.

Vinent confirmed reporters photographs of her son in her cellphone, together with a few of him wearing army fatigues.

She mentioned that her son informed her he had accepted the provide to go to Russia as a result of he needed to economically assist the household, because the island is struggling an financial disaster, with individuals going through shortages of some merchandise.

“I don’t know if my son is alive. We don’t know anything,” she mentioned. “What I would like is to talk to him.”

Russian legislation permits international nationals to enlist in its military, after signing a contract with the Defense Ministry.

Since September 2022, foreigners who've served within the Russian military for no less than one 12 months are allowed to use for Russian citizenship in a simplified process, with out acquiring a residency allow first.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin mentioned earlier in September that town was establishing “infrastructure to assist the Russian Defense Ministry in facilitating the enlistment of foreign nationals” within the capital’s important authorities workplace for migrants.

Last month, Russian media reported instances of authorities refusing to just accept citizenship purposes from Tajik nationals till they signal a contract with the Defense Ministry and enlist within the military. And in an internet assertion final week, the British Defense Ministry mentioned there are “at least six million migrants from Central Asia in Russia, which the Kremlin likely sees as potential recruits.”

On X, a social media platform beforehand often called Twitter, the ministry mentioned that “exploiting foreign nationals allows the Kremlin to acquire additional personnel for its war effort in the face of mounting casualties.”

It additionally famous that there have been on-line provides looking for recruits for the Russian military in Armenia and Kazakhstan.

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Associated Press author Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.

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