Mercenaries continue to make headlines internationally. This time, it was pro-Ukrainian hackers who revealed the identities of 192 Cuban nationals and one Colombian enlisted by the Russian army to fight in Ukraine. The information was distributed on a Telegram account called “Cyber Resistance”, which presents itself as a group of “hacktivists” working in collaboration with international volunteers.
The passports of the recruited Cubans were published on the group’s Telegram channel. The documents indicate that the men, aged 18 to 69, were sent to Russia as part of their military recruitment. The hackers claim that these Cuban mercenaries are paid 204,000 rubles per month, or around 2,000 euros, in exchange for their services in Ukraine. A salary well above the Cuban average, which is around 34 euros per month.
The hackers claim to have obtained this information from the email of Anton Perevoztchikov, a Russian army commander responsible for military recruitment in the town of Tula, located south of Moscow. Local media confirmed the existence of this recruitment center run by an officer with the same name. However, Ukrainian authorities have not yet confirmed the authenticity of this information.
The France 24 Observers editorial team managed to get in touch with two of the Cuban mercenaries. One of them confirmed that he had been recruited by the Russian army but refused to give further details. The other admitted to being attracted by the opportunity to earn a living and have a better life in Russia. However, he refused to reveal the details of his activity and the date of his departure for Ukraine.
This revelation raises many questions about the role of mercenaries in international conflicts and how they are recruited and paid. The distribution of passports by pro-Ukrainian hackers also raises concerns about violations of the privacy and security of those involved.
It remains to be seen how the Ukrainian and Russian authorities will react to these revelations and what consequences they will have on the conflict in Ukraine. In the meantime, it is clear that the recruitment of mercenaries continues to fuel debate and arouse concern in the international community.