More than 1,000 Cuban citizens have joined the Russian army after being misled into signing military contracts. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the goal is not military strength but propaganda.
Details
Over 1,000 Cubans have signed contracts with Russia’s military, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) said. Donbas.Realii, a project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, reported this information, citing HUR spokesperson Andrii Cherniak.
Cherniak said the real number of Cubans fighting for Russia is likely much higher.
“We don’t consider the Cuban mercenaries as some kind of separate military force that can make an impact on the battlefield. In total, this number could be around 10, 12, 15 thousand,” he said.
He added that this is still a relatively small group. Many of them suffered pressure to sign contracts through deception or manipulation. Ukraine’s intelligence believes Cuba is part of Russia’s geopolitical interests. Moscow recruits Cubans not to boost combat effectiveness but to support its propaganda efforts.
Cherniak said Russia uses recruitment for political messaging, targeting its domestic audience.
“They are trying to show that Russia is not an aggressor, and that other countries, so to say, of the civilized world, also support Russia’s ideas and plans,” he said.
Ban on exporting mercenaries
In February 2026, the Latvia-registered Russian outlet Important Stories reported that Russian recruiters received a so-called “black list” from the authorities. It includes countries from which they are allegedly banned from recruiting mercenaries. The outlet cited messages from recruitment groups. The major regional recruitment center also confirmed this information.
In early January 2026, recruiters began sharing a list of countries whose citizens are no longer allowed to sign contracts with the Russian military. The list reportedly includes 36 countries. Most are in Africa and the Arab world. It also includes states Russia considers “friendly,” such as China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, Cuba, Afghanistan, Iran, and Venezuela.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck strategic targets in Russia’s Leningrad region on the night of March 25. Ukrainian forces hit a combat icebreaker at the Vyborg Shipyard and the NOVATEK Ust-Luga gas complex.
