Ukraine shows a Cuban prisoner of war to the press and alerts Havana

ukraine Called upon the governments of many countries to make more efforts Prevent your citizens from being recruited to fight for Russia In Moscow’s offensive against its neighbor, on Friday publicly presented those it identified Eight foreign prisoners of war, including a Cuban citizen,

According to Petro Yatsenko, a representative of Kiev’s coordination headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war, the prisoners include five from Nepal and one each from Cuba, Somalia and Sierra Leone, respectively.

Cuba is shown to national and international media Frank Dario, native of GuantanamoAccording to their statements, the video of the interrogation was released last week.

The 35-year-old man was reportedly captured by Ukrainian troops in the Marinka area of ​​the Donetsk region. His story is further proof of this Hiring foreign workers in Russian invasionAs reported by DIARIO DE CUBA.

The prisoner said during that interrogation that he had signed a contract to work in construction in exchange for Russian citizenship and a monthly salary of about 250,000 rubles, after being contacted through a Facebook profile that provided details of everything. Had taken care of. Documents (including passport) to travel to Russia.

However, according to what he said, upon reaching Russian territory in early 2024, despite there being no military training on the island, He was involved in a mission to transport portable solar power panels to a bombed area.

According to their testimony, he never told them clearly what the mission was and he spoke to them in Russian without translation. There were 35 other Cubans in the unit where he arrived, he said.

In statements quoted by EFE, Yatsenko commented: “We cannot confirm that this is a (Cuban) state program, but we know that no one (in Cuba) opposes it.” He also said “Russian agitators” operate without restrictions on the island.

“By showing these captured civilians we are saying Perhaps it is necessary to use more radical, more effective measures, so that dozens, hundreds of such people are not deceived by “Russian agitators”.Yatsenko told reporters in Kiev.

He said, “If we take a country with a low level of income, there is a very high possibility that some citizens of those countries could be recruited by Russia and used as cannon fodder. “

Last week, India has busted a major smuggling network which it says used to lure youth to get jobs in Russia Before sending them to the war front.

At a press conference in central Kiev, the prisoners were presented in military uniform and seated in two rows.

“Until a court rules that they are mercenaries, we treat them like any other prisoners of war,” Yatsenko said.

he pointed to The number of foreigners fighting for Russia seems to have increased As the influx from Russian prisons is decreasing.

In September 2023, the Cuban government announced the arrest of 17 people linked to a Cuban trafficking network that allegedly attracted youth to the island to recruit Moscow in its conflict with Kiev. But weeks later it was revealed that many of those detained were released without charge. Havana officials have not mentioned the case again.