Cubans are signing up to fight for Russia in exchange for citizenship

Cuban immigrants in Russia have reportedly been joining the country’s military forces in order to gain citizenship after a recent law signed by President Vladimir Putin made it a lot easier for those who enlist to become citizens of Russia. Here’s what we know now.

On May 24th, Russian news outlet Ryazan Gazette reported several Cuban immigrants had signed a one-year contract for military service in the Russian Armed Forces and were being sent to the zone of the country’s special military operation in Ukraine. 

The Miami Herald reported on the story and wrote that the Ryzan Gazette noted Cuban soldiers who signed a contract to fight would be given a one-time payment equivalent to $2433 dollars from the federal government and $2500 from Ryzan’s regional budget. 

The Cuban recruits would also receive a monthly salary of $2545 and the Miami Herald noted that news of the immigrants signing up for military service with Russia came on the heels of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel ratifying Cuba’s support for Russia. 

Cuban President Díaz-Canel said in a Spanish version of Russia Today: "We condemn and we don't accept the expansion of NATO to the borders of Russia," according to an English translation of his comments from CBC News.

President Díaz-Canel also said that Cuba’s relationship with Russia was one marked by friendship and one based on strategic political terms that benefited both nations, saying the two countries were in a moment of renewed relations and that he was grateful. 

Cuba has long been a supporter of Russia with ties that date back decades. But recent developments in Ukraine have brought the former partnership back to its former glory with CBC noting an isolated Russia has turned to the Cuban government for support. 

Cuba’s government signed a deal recently to train troops in Belarus, a close ally of the Russian government that has been very involved in the war with Ukraine as reported by the CBC, and the country's support for Russia on the national stage has been evident. 

“Cuban officials have justified the Russian invasion of Ukraine in public comments and have abstained from votes to condemn Putin’s actions at the United Nations and, more recently, at the World Health Organization,” wrote Miami Herald’s Nora Gámez Torres.

This may be why the Ryzan Gazette announced the recruitment of Cuban nationals to the Russian Armed Forces. But there could be a much simpler explanation. The Cubans who joined up with Russia may just want to expedite their citizenship in the country. 

Thousands of Cubans have settled in Russia over the last few decades according to the Cuban news outlet Directorio Cubano because it is one of the few countries in the world where citizens from Cuba can travel without needing a visa to visit. 

The outlet added that most go to Russia hoping to move on to places like Spain or Italy but just end up staying in the Russian Federation because they do not need papers. 

Directorio Cubano also noted that the number of Cubans who had signed up to fight in Ukraine had not been disclosed but said roughly 450 fighters had been sent to the front since the beginning of 2023. 

The Cuban fighters would not immediately be sent to the front according to Directorio Cubano based on information AmericaTeVe which stated the soldiers would go through a selection process and medical checks before being assigned to different military units, 

The Ryzan Gazette pointed out in its report that the Cuban volunteers who signed up to join the military would receive citizenship in Russia after serving their one-year contract.

On May 15th, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree fast-tracking citizenship for foreign nations that took part in the special military operation, allowing foreign troops and their families to bypass the need for residence permits according to Newsweek.