- Cuban immigrants in Russia are reportedly joining the army to fight in Ukraine.
- In exchange, the immigrants will be given Russian citizenship.
Cuban immigrants in Russia are joining the army to fight in Ukraine in exchange for citizenship, a report says.
Several Cubans have signed year-long contracts and were sent to the war zone on Wednesday, local news outlet the Ryazan Gazette reported.
Those who signed contracts to fight will receive a one-time payment from Russia's federal government equivalent to $2,433 and another $2,500 from the region of Ryazan, along with a monthly salary of $2,545, The New York Post reported.
The Russian military has been offering enhanced pay to potential recruits many times the average Russian monthly wage of 63,060 rubles ($810), to reinforce its depleted ranks, according to a recent report.
Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that foreigners who enlisted in the Russian army to fight in the war would be entitled to get Russian citizenship along with their families.
Thousands of Cubans have settled in Russia in recent years because it is one of the few countries that does not require visas for Cuban nationals, according to Cuban outlet Directorio Cubano.
It has previously been reported that Russian authorities were also trying to recruit Central Asian migrant workers to fight in Ukraine to avoid another mandatory mobilization.
The drafting of 300,000 reservists in September sparked protests and caused thousands of fighting-age men to flee the country.
While Russia has not confirmed its number of casualties in Ukraine, the US recently estimated that 100,000 Russian fighters have been killed or wounded in the conflict since December 2022 alone.