Cuba has Uncovered a Human Trafficking Ring for Russia’s War Transcript

Cuban authorities say they have uncovered a human trafficking ring which recruits its citizens to fight for Russia in Ukraine. The group supposedly targets Cubans already living in Russia, as well as those at home in Cuba. Authorities in Havana said they are working to, “Neutralize and dismantle the network.” I want to bring in Patrick Ottman, who is for us in Havana tonight. And, Patrick, just talk to us about this network. How many Cubans do they believe have been recruited here?

Details are very, very scarce. And even the statement is quite remarkable because as you know, Isa, Cuba and Russia have a very close relationship, one that has only been made closer by the war in Ukraine. And Cuba’s support up until now of Russia, essentially parroting Russian propaganda lines, saying that the war is the fault of the west, of NATO, and the US for essentially pushing Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine. But this statement also laying out that Cuba does not allow its citizens to serve in the armed forces of other countries, to essentially work as mercenaries. And then they will not allow people either working from Russia, or here within Cuba, to try and recruit its citizens.

(01:15)
This is not that much of a surprise because Russian outlets had been putting out the pictures of Cubans that had been recruited now for months, saying that they pay them up to $2,000 a month. And we’ll give them Russian citizenship. Put that in context, $2,000 is more than a doctor makes in Cuba in a year. So it’s very tempting in the midst of a severe economic crisis if you’re going to try to recruit soldiers. And so is this a question of deniability? Is this is a question of Cuba trying to distance itself from what something its ally is doing? Or is it just that Cuba does not want its citizens to become cannon fodder? And that, certainly, when you have some young Cubans who don’t even appear to have any military experience, are trapped in the middle of a war zone, and saying that they’re being mistreated. And they’ve been lied to, and that they’re being forced to go to the front line. That’s not a good look for anyone. So the Cuban government is coming out and essentially saying that they do not want their citizens in this theater.

That was going to be my question. Those who are being recruited, Patrick, do they know what they’re being recruited for? Or are they being lied to here? Are you getting a sense of this?

They say they’re being lied to, that they were going to be brought to Russia as cooks or to work in construction. And that they were, once landing in Moscow, essentially given a rifle and pointed towards the front line. We don’t really know. But the Cuban government is saying that there is human trafficking going on and that they will put an end to it.

Where then, Patrick, does it leave the relationship between Cuba and Russia? Like you said, Cuban government receives aid from Russia. This is somewhat awkward, isn’t it?

Yes. They’re literally keeping the lights on right now because of so much oil. One estimate is more oil has been sent to Cuba in the last year or so than at any point since the fall of the Cold War. So this is essential Russian aid. And you could really watch the high wire act being done in the statement released last night by the foreign minister where they don’t really blame. The Russian government, of course, is aware that Cubans are being recruited and, as alleged, trafficked to fight in the war. But the Cuban government says they simply don’t allow this to happen. That they don’t allow their citizens to fight for other countries.

(03:38)
So, perhaps, this could be a case of deniability, where the Cuban government was aware of this, and this was their plan B if it became better known. Or it simply could be that they realize there are no winners in this, and that they don’t want their citizens being chewed up by the Russian war machine. And one thing is to parrot some propaganda points and support Russia in the UN and that kind of thing, another thing is to have your citizens on the front lines. They certainly don’t win by doing that. And, again, no evidence that actual troops are serving at the moment.

I know you’ll stay on top of this story. Patrick Ottman, always good to see you, Patrick. Thank you very much.

(04:18)
Well, as Russia tries to rally Cold War allies to its cause, it’s downplaying Ukrainian gains. Russian defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, seen here in North Korea, says Kyiv’s counteroffensive has not achieved its goals. He told a military conference call, “The Ukrainians are desperate to impress Western allies. And Russia has improved its positions.” But after hard fought, as well as costly battles, the Ukrainians say they’re making headway, particularly in the south after liberating Robotyne. And you can see there. And in the east, new video shows President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with troops on the front. That is near Bakhmut.

(04:55)
Meanwhile, in Russia there are reports officials are covering aircraft with car tires. It may be an effort to protect them from Ukrainian and pro-Ukrainian drone attacks. Satellite images show us at least one plane covered in tires at an airbase south of Moscow.

(05:10)
CNN’s Melissa Bell is live for us in Kyiv with the very latest. And, Melissa, for those viewers who’ve been watching us every night, in the past few days, they would’ve seen that you and I have been talking about the gains being made by Ukraine in this counteroffensive. How they’re trying to expand their gains around this upper region village of Robotyne, using artillery you said, as well as drones. What do you make, then, of this new Russian tactic, as we’ve just outlined there, of covering aircraft with car tires?

It’s interesting that they’re having to respond to those drone attacks that we’ve seen really increased, not in just their number and their regularity and their reach, actually, over the course of the last few days and weeks, but also in the openness with which Kyiv would acknowledge that they are behind them, Isa. And I think that’s interesting. It shows, certainly, that Russia feels that, as far as their infrastructure, some of those drones are getting through, enough of them, that they feel they have to take measures. However makeshift shoving some tires onto their equipment is, it is nonetheless a protective measure.

(06:10)
And as to the point you made earlier about what Sergei Shoigu has been saying about the counteroffensive, I think there is some truth in the fact that the fog of war, the fact that neither side is particularly transparent on what is going on in the counteroffensive, does make it very difficult to see what is going on. Still, what we are hearing from sources, both on the Ukrainian side and the Russian side, is news of extremely intense battles, a very fluid situation. Positions going from one side to the other very quickly. Fierce fighting to the east of Robotyne towards Verbove. Fierce fighting as well to the south. And what we have been able to do is speak to some of those men who’ve been responsible for the liberation of Robotyne. And that is at least one village that is now certainly in Ukrainian hands.

(07:01)
The flag now flies over what’s left of Robotyne. Ukrainian leaders say it’s the first victory of a three month counteroffensive, a source of great pride for the men of the 47th Mechanized Brigade.

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The soldiers hadn’t expected to find them, but rushed the handful of men and elderly women into their Bradley Vehicle before speeding away as quickly as they could.

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Back in the safety of a nearby wood, the civilians are given much needed water and phones.

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But for the 47th Brigade, Robotyne was just the start. And some of its heroes have since fallen.

(08:39)
I’d like to ask about your colleagues. The day you went into Robotyne and you took the civilians out, there was another team, but they were killed.

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Still, they carry on southwards along a stretch of road they’ve nicknamed the road to Hell.

(09:27)
To give you an idea, Isa, of just how difficult the conditions are there, the artillery tracts, the drones that make anyone emerging, of course, a target, it’s very difficult to make any progress in those circumstances. But the fighting is so fierce that we’ve been hearing from the Ukrainian side today of a series of attacks to the south of Robotyne, towards the next village southwards, where one hillside, one Russian stronghold, it took the Ukrainians five days to recapture. We’re not talking about a village, we’re not talking about a town. We’re talking about one stronghold on the road to the next village. And what we are hearing, from various accounts, is of huge losses on both sides. In the end, every meter that is being fought for is costing a great deal to both Ukrainians and Russians, Isa.