Cuban Authorities Detain 17 for Recruiting Youth to Join Russian Forces

Cuban authorities have arrested 17 individuals involved in a human-trafficking ring that allegedly recruited young Cuban men to fight for Russia in the conflict against Ukraine. The leader of the group relied on two individuals living in Cuba to recruit fighters for hire on behalf of Russia. Those involved in the network could face severe penalties, including up to 30 years in prison or the death penalty. Cuba, which has historically been an ally of Russia, condemned the recruitment racket and emphasized that it is not part of the war conflict in Ukraine and does not want to be complicit in such actions.