I read a shocking and tragic article this morning.
According to CNN,
For months, hundreds of Cubans have quietly left the island to fight for Russia in its war in Ukraine.
They were promised money and Russian citizenship by shadowy online recruiters.
Cub’s economy has stagnated due to a sharp drop in tourism, spiking inflation and US sanctions.
So there was seemingly an unlimited number of disaffected men.
CNN interviewed one family,
One young man ,his name was Miguel ,had signed a contract to work repairing infrastructure damaged in the war.
The recruiter sent him a plane ticket to Moscow.
When his mother spoke to him on the phone a few weeks later, he had his head shaved and was wearing a Russian military uniform.
Miguel told his mother that he wanted to return home. He had seen people missing arms and legs.
According to Miguel’s mother,
He complained of illnesses to avoid fighting,but his excuse wasn’t accepted.
Then the Russian officers had taken away his phone.
Now the plight of these people like Miguel is further complicated.
Because Cuba’s Foreign Ministry said in September,
Cuba was not part of the war conflict in Ukraine.
They would treated their citizens fighting for Russia as illegal mercenaries.
Since the beginning of the war, Cuban officials had supported Russian propaganda that NATO’s aggression was because of the invasion of Ukraine.
These muddled messages have been surprising and confusing the Cuban people.
Miguel ‘s mother says,
“ My son was deceived. What will happen to my son?”.
Ah, What a tragedy this is!
Russian invasion has been causing much misery around the world.
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
