Russia continues to hire Cuban mercenaries to fight in Ukraine
HAVANA, Oct. 24th. Ukrainian computer hackers from the Cyber Resistance group revealed evidence of the hiring of more Cuban mercenaries by the Russian Armed Forces in the war against Ukraine, reported the media specialized in that conflict Inform Napalm.
This site noted that the new evidence “refutes the statements of the Cuban authorities about the ‘blockade’ of the mercenary supply channel to Russia.”
According to data provided by Cyber Resistance to InformNapalm, Cubans continue to sign contracts with Moscow to enroll in the invasion of Ukraine. It was this medium that exposed the identity of 200 Cuban mercenaries recruited into the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces by the military commissar of Tula, Anton Perevozchikov.
Now, Cyber Resistance has obtained new photographs of the passports of at least 59 more Cubans who arrived in the Russian city of Tula between August 25 and September 29 to sign a contract. At least 11 of them passed through the Tula military registration and enlistment office after the Cuban authorities announced the arrest of participants in the scheme and the cessation of the mercenary supply channel.
Although some of the new mercenaries did not come from Cuba when they placed themselves under the orders of Moscow, the case of young Yasser Alejandro Paneque López demonstrates that Cuba still does not prevent the flow of mercenaries that arrive in Russia to sign contracts with that country’s Army.
This 19-year-old man from Havana published on September 21 on his Instagram page the ticket for flight number 556 on the Varadero-Moscow route of the Russian airline Nordwind Airlines. Aeroflot and Nordwind aircraft have been flying regularly on this route since July 2023.
Paneque serves, along with other recruited Cubans, at the permanent deployment point of the 106th Airborne Division of the Russian Armed Forces. According to Inform Napalm, that division is gradually becoming Russia’s “international legion.” In the summer it emerged that Serbs were also recruited for that body.
Cyber Resistance hackers confirmed that at least three new Cuban mercenaries are already in service. The rest may still be in the final registration process and in the contract signing stage. Yainer Labrada Bello, born on January 25, 1985, arrived in Russia on September 2, and on September 26 he published a photo in the military uniform of the Russian Armed Forces.
Jaime Sardiñas Castillo, born on September 17, 1985, demonstrated on his social networks how Russian elite units are becoming mercenary detachments. On September 22, he posted a photo wearing a Russian Armed Forces landing vest and the new high boots common to military personnel.
Likewise, Bárbaro Yolexis Bedolla Aties, born on December 4, 1990, published an image in which he appears lying on a bed in a Russian military barracks. In the photo appeared an airborne vest and part of camouflage equipment, both Russian implements.
Taking into account the new revelations, Inform Napalm stated: “We do not see any measures taken by the Cuban Government to really fight against the mercenaries and the attempts to bring the participants to justice. The Cuban Government does not even block the transfer channels of funds to established mercenaries.
“There is also no evidence yet that Cuba has initiated criminal proceedings against already identified mercenaries,” the aforementioned media continued. “Consequently, when the Cuban ambassador in Moscow said that his Government was not opposed to the participation of its citizens in the war against Ukraine, was probably more frank than the Cuban Foreign Ministry, which was quick to refute this claim.”
At the end of last September, Cuban Sacha Borrego (an activist who was volunteering in Ukraine) told DIARIO DE CUBA: “The Ukrainian Army has not captured any Cuban mercenary hired by Russia.
As far as I know, they are digging trenches, but they know that they are coming to kill or be killed. The Ukrainian government made them an offer through me: they can join a program for deserters and continue on their way to Europe if they sabotage Russia and show that they cooperate.
