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After the collapse of the Wagner group and a very weak phase of the war in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin needs to recruit more soldiers.
He wants to avoid starting another round of mobilization as it could erode the confidence of the Russian public, so he is turning to a global recruitment drive to meet military demand.
In Cuba, authorities in Havana say they have dismantled a people-trafficking ring that sought to recruit Cubans to become mercenaries fighting for Russia in the war in Ukraine.
Russia aims to recruit around 140,000 fighters this year and has targeted migrants, some from Central Asia, by offering fast citizenship and money to fight for Russia.
Cuban authorities have arrested 17 traffickers and, if convicted, face life in prison or the death penalty.
The irony here is that Russia has been heavily dependent on mercenary fighters for battlefield successes in the war in Ukraine.
However, these mercenary fighters are not professionally trained, do not understand their responsibilities under the Geneva Convention, and there is mounting evidence to suggest that mercenaries have committed a large number of war crimes that have led to Putin's indictment at the International Criminal Court.
Mercenaries can provide quantity, but certainly not quality. / Sky News
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