- Category
- Latest news
Up to 15,000 Cubans: Ukraine Reveals Scale of Russia’s Foreign Recruitment
- Authors
![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukraine’s military intelligence has identified more than 1,000 Cuban nationals who have signed contracts with the Russian military, with officials warning the real number could be significantly higher.
Andrii Cherniak, a representative of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate, told Donbas Realii, a project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, on March 29 that the confirmed figure represents only part of a much broader recruitment effort.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
According to Cherniak, the total number of Cuban recruits fighting on Russia’s side could range between 10,000 and 15,000.
“We do not consider Cuban mercenaries as a separate military force that can influence the battlefield. Overall, this number may be around 10, 12, 15 thousand. This is a relatively small number of people who were either deceived or otherwise persuaded to sign contracts,” he said.
Ukrainian intelligence believes that Moscow’s recruitment of Cuban nationals is driven less by military necessity and more by political messaging.
According to Cherniak, Russia views Cuba as part of its geopolitical sphere of influence, and the presence of Cuban fighters is used to reinforce narratives both domestically and internationally.
“They use this on the political stage, for domestic audiences. They are trying to show that Russia is not an aggressor, and that other countries—so to speak, the civilized world—also support Russia’s ideas and plans,” he added.
Ukrainian officials say the effort reflects a broader pattern of Russia seeking to supplement its forces with foreign recruits while simultaneously shaping perceptions about international support for its war.
-226ee9bd877d87e388417d2a5e1c42f9.jpg)
A surge in Russian mercenaries recruitment comes amid heavy losses the Russian Army suffers on the battlefield in Ukraine. Previously, a massive data analysis confirmed the identities of over 200,000 Russian soldiers killed during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
At least 200,186 Russian military personnel have been identified as dead through open-source records.
The data reveals that 57% of those killed—including mercenaries, mobilized citizens, and prisoners—had no military affiliation before the February 2022 invasion.
According to data from the investigative outlet Agenstvo, the invasion of Ukraine has become the deadliest war for Russia since World War II. Current estimates suggest that one in every 25 Russian men aged 18 to 49 has been either killed or severely wounded on the battlefield.
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
