Russia Turns To Cuban Recruits As It Struggles With Conscription, RFE/RL Reveals

20th February 2025

In a room far behind the front lines in central Ukraine, a Cuban man wearing Russian military fatigues smiles widely as he taps out a rhythm on a table. But his mood soon turns somber.

Frank Dario Jarrosay Manfuga, 36, joined Russia's army in January 2024.

By March he had been captured by Ukrainian forces, and he is now hoping for a way out of a desperate situation.

"I never intended to kill anyone. I never wanted to participate in a war. I have a family," said Manfuga, who claimed he was tricked into boarding a Russia-bound plane with the promise of a job in construction.

"Maybe some organization could save me," he said, adding he has no desire to return to Russia or Cuba.

Manfuga's claim that he was duped could not be verified.

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