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Ukraine has released a new list of 54 Cuban mercenaries killed while fighting in the ranks of the Russian army, according to data published by the center “Хочу Жить” (“I Want to Live”), an office established to facilitate the surrender of Russian and foreign soldiers.
The names, ranks, units, and dates of death reveal the extent of Cuban recruitment in service to the Kremlin and the human cost of a war being waged over ten thousand kilometers from Havana.
The report, accompanied by images with official documentation, confirms that the deceased belonged to various motorized units of the Russian Army, including the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 255th motorized infantry regiments, deployed on the eastern front of Ukraine.
Many of them signed their contracts in 2024, during the height of the invasion, and died just a few months later in areas of Donbass and Zaporiyia.
Among the names that stand out are Yoelsis Santiago Pérez, Pedro Antonio Romero, and Yosvani González, who served in Russian assault units.
The dates indicate a concentration of deaths on specific days, suggesting the involvement of Cuban contingents in intense operations or Ukrainian bombings.
On June 22, 2024, for example, six Cubans died in combat on the same day, likely in a massive attack. Another group of five passed away on June 17, 2025.
The authorities in Havana remain silent. No official entity has acknowledged the existence of these fighters nor provided information about their repatriation. The regime has also not confirmed the delivery of bodies to their families or declared a national mourning.
This contrast becomes even more remarkable when considering that a day before the Ukrainian publication, the Cuban regime itself honored the arrival of the remains of 32 mercenaries from the personal guard of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, who were killed during the U.S. military operation that culminated in his capture on January 3, 2026.
The government of Miguel Díaz-Canel then declared two weeks of "national mourning" for Maduro's fallen, while ignoring its own citizens who died under the Russian flag.
The difference in treatment reveals the double standards of power in Havana: it honors ideological allies but denies recognition to Cubans recruited out of economic necessity or deception by Moscow.
Ukrainian military sources indicate that the recruitment of Cubans into the Russian Armed Forces has intensified since 2023, taking advantage of the economic crisis and lack of opportunities on the island. Many signed contracts promised to pay up to $2,000 per month, an unimaginable figure in Cuba, but most died without receiving a single payment.
“They died with weapons in hand, thousands of kilometers from home. There will be no monuments or speeches about them,” wrote the Ukrainian report. “Their names will not appear in Cuban newspapers or in the official reports from Moscow. Their remains will likely never return to their homeland.”
In Ukraine, the troops of President Volodymyr Zelensky continue to capture foreign fighters, including those from Latin America.
Kiev has repeatedly urged the Cuban regime to acknowledge its citizens involved and to cooperate in their humanitarian repatriation. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by Chancellor Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla maintains its denial and reiterates that Havana “is not participating in the conflict.”
Meanwhile, the families of the fallen live in silence, without bodies, without death certificates, and without answers. In the neighborhoods of Santiago de Cuba, Matanzas, or Villa Clara, residents know that many young people have been recruited by Russian intermediaries operating on the island since 2023, with the complicity of local authorities.
Ukraine assures that this list “is not exhaustive,” but rather just a sample of confirmed deaths with reliable documentation. Other sources estimate that more than 200 Cubans have already died fighting for Russia since the onset of the large-scale invasion.
List of Cuban mercenaries deceased in Ukraine
The names on this list have been confirmed as deceased by the Ukrainian authorities, who warn that the total number is higher. Due to difficulties with the transliteration of names into Spanish, CiberCuba apologizes for any errors or omissions that may be present in the list.
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