Cuba arrests 17 for allegedly helping recruit some of its citizens to fight for Russia in Ukraine

By CRISTIANA MESQUITA and MILEXSY DURÁN
Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban authorities have arrested 17 people in connection with what they described as a network to recruit Cuban nationals to fight for Russia in Ukraine. The head of criminal investigations for Cuba’s Interior Ministry, César Rodríguez, said late on Thursday on state media that at least three of the 17 arrested are part of recruitment efforts inside the island country. He didn’t identify the alleged members of the network, and only said that they had previous criminal records. Cuba’s Foreign Ministry said Monday the government had detected a network operating from Russia to recruit some of Cuba’s citizens living both in Russia and in Cuba to fight in Ukraine.