The Kremlin has deployed a deceptive recruitment network in Latin America that promises well-paying jobs in civilian sectors but ultimately sends recruits to the front lines in Ukraine, according to an analysis published this Saturday by Infobae.
Cuba, Mexico, and Colombia are the main centers of this operation, which also extends to Peru, Bolivia, and El Salvador.
The mechanism is systematic: advertisements on social media—especially Facebook—offer positions for masons, cooks, security guards, or transporters with salaries ranging from $2,500 to $3,500 per month, bonuses in the tens of thousands of dollars, and, in some cases, Russian citizenship.
The report explains that, upon arriving in Moscow, the recruits are faced with a radically different reality: their passports are confiscated, they are issued military uniforms, and they are sent to the front, without the promised benefits materializing.
In Mexico, Facebook pages such as "Global Talent Security" and "Grupo Avant" were identified as recruitment channels.
The second one was eliminated after being documented by the newspaper La Crónica. The Mexican embassy in Russia had records of 14 closed cases of repatriated citizens and two open cases related to this scheme.
Colombia represents another priority focus for the Kremlin. The presence of a large population of impoverished and unemployed former combatants, after decades of internal armed conflict, has made the country fertile ground for Russian promises: a monthly salary of $3,500, a bonus of $35,000, and citizenship; however, in practice, none of those conditions were met.
Cuba is, however, the most serious case in the region. Russia began using Cuban mercenaries in 2023, drawn by their Soviet military training, their familiarity with Russian weaponry, and the zero political cost it represents for the Kremlin: no one in Moscow is held accountable for the deaths of foreign soldiers.
In 2025, the estimated number of Cubans fighting for Russia reached 20,000 soldiers, according to Ukrainian military intelligence, with projections that the island could even surpass the North Korean contingent.
The package offered to Cubans—$2,000 monthly, Russian citizenship, and 15 days of vacation every six months—has only been partially fulfilled by the Kremlin, leading to desertions and discontent among the recruits.
"The young Cubans who enlisted in the Russian ranks believed in the promises of money and well-being for their families on the island, but have only found death, deceit, and disgrace," the analysis states.
The consequences are lethal. As of January 28, 2026, Ukraine had identified at least 93 Cubans killed in combat, while the Cuban regime remains officially silent on the numbers and denies any involvement in recruitment.
The international community has begun to respond. A joint report by FIDH, Truth Hounds, and KIBHR, published in April 2026, concluded that Russia has recruited at least 27,000 foreign citizens from over 130 countries since February 2022, and that this scheme fits the definition of human trafficking under the Palermo Protocol.
In May 2026, the United Kingdom sanctioned the Cuban Dayana Echemendía Díaz, a resident of Ryazan, for her role in the deceptive recruitment of fellow citizens, resulting in asset freezing and travel bans.
In July 2026, the European Union demanded that the Cuban regime sever its ties with Russia, in a diplomatic pressure that Havana has so far ignored.
"The Russian regime takes advantage of the need and desperation experienced in Cuba and other countries," concludes the analysis by Infobae.
"They were promised the world, but only found a hell in a foreign land," he concludes.
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