The Kremlin has deployed a deceptive recruitment network in Latin America that promises well-paid jobs in civilian sectors, ultimately sending recruits to the front lines in Ukraine, according to an analysis published this Saturday by Infobae.
Cuba, Mexico, and Colombia are the main focal points 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 bricklayers, 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 confronted with a radically different reality: their passports are confiscated, they are given 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" have been identified as recruitment channels.
The second one was eliminated after being documented by the newspaper La Crónica. The Mexican embassy in Russia had a record of 14 closed cases of repatriated citizens and two open cases related to this scheme.
Colombia represents another priority focus for the Kremlin. The existence of a large population of impoverished and unemployed former combatants, following decades of internal armed conflict, has made the country fertile ground for Russian promises: a monthly salary of 3,500 dollars, a bonus of 35,000 dollars, and citizenship; however, in practice, none of these conditions were met.
Cuba is, however, the most serious case in the region. Russia began to use 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 per month, 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 they have only found death, deceit, and dishonor," the analysis states.
The consequences are deadly. As of January 28, 2026, Ukraine had identified at least 93 Cubans killed in combat, while the Cuban regime maintains official silence on the numbers and denies any involvement in recruitment.
The international community has begun to respond. A joint report from 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 compatriots, 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 from Infobae.
"They promised them the moon and the stars, but they only found a hell in a foreign land," he concludes.
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