Cuba has discovered a human trafficking ring that has coerced Cuban citizens to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine, according to the country’s foreign ministry. The ministry stated that Cuba’s authorities are actively working to “neutralize and dismantle” the network.
In a statement released on Monday, Cuba’s foreign ministry provided limited details but acknowledged that the trafficking ring was operating in both Cuba and Russia.
“The Ministry of the Interior has identified and is taking action to neutralize and dismantle a human trafficking network that operates from Russia, recruiting Cuban citizens residing there, as well as some from Cuba, to participate in military operations in Ukraine,” the ministry stated.
“Cuba has a strong and unwavering historical stance against mercenarism and actively condemns this practice in the United Nations,” the ministry added, as per an unofficial translation.
“Cuba is not involved in the war in Ukraine. It will vigorously respond to anyone within its national territory who engages in any form of human trafficking for the purpose of recruiting mercenaries to use weapons against any country.”
The Russian government has not yet responded to these allegations.
Link from www.aljazeera.com