Cuban authorities announced on Thursday, the 7th of September, that they have arrested 17 people accused of being part of a human trafficking network that recruited young Cuban men to join the Russian armed forces in the fight against Ukraine, reports Politico.
In a televised interview on Thursday, Cuban Interior Ministry colonel Cesar Rodriguez said that Cuban authorities, as part of their investigation, had arrested 17 individuals, including the alleged leader.
Rodriguez did not disclose the identities of those involved
but revealed that its leader had relied on two Cubans who recruited young Cubans to fight on the Russian side in Ukraine.
Prosecutor Jose Luis Reyes explained that the individuals involved in the case could face harsh sentences ranging from
30 years in prison to life imprisonment or even the death penalty,
depending on the nature and severity of the charges. The involved charges include human trafficking, mercenary activities, and hostile acts against a foreign state.
This case underlines the importance of Russia as a destination for Cuban migrants seeking better economic prospects. Cuba maintains that it is not involved in the Ukrainian conflict and
opposes the use of its citizens as mercenaries.
Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing foreigners who join the Russian army to obtain citizenship in an accelerated procedure.
BNN earlier reported that Cuba’s foreign ministry announced on Monday, the 4th of September, the discovery of a human trafficking network that forced Cuban citizens to join the Russian army in the Ukraine war.
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