Cuba Archive - Case 11729

Case ID: 11729

Title: N/A

First name: Denis Frank

Last name: Pacheco Rubio

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: N/A

Age: 42

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:20 / Month:6 / Year:2024

Citizenship: N/A

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: Reparto Raúl Sancho, Santa Clara

Last known province-TOD: Villa Clara

Last known province current: Villa Clara

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Soledar-Siversk

Location of death - city: Donetsk

Location of death province - at TOD: N/A

Location of death province - current: N/A

Location of death - country: Ukraine

Trial held?: No

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: N/A

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: N/A

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Armed forces of another country

Death attribution detail: Armed Forces of Ukraine

Associated Event: War in Ukraine - Russian invasion

Case description:

Cuban mercenary for Russia killed in combat in the invasion of Ukraine.  According to Commander Kirill Veres of the 54th brigade of the Ukrainian Army, 4 to 16 Cubans died in combat after an ambush against his brigade. His body and that of another Cuban was found with identification. They were part of Russian commando units or special forces known as 'storm groups' that attacked the 54th Brigade, with 16 storm groups, each of which has two Cubans. According to Pacheco's wife, he had completed mandatory military service in Cuba, but had no military training. He had been promised around $2,000 and a passport in exchange for working in cities already occupied by the Russians, however, he underwent 15 days of military training and was sent to the front lines. Pacheco had decided to go to Russia against his family's wishes to secure a better economic future for his family, especially for his eight-month-old daughter. 
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Mercenario cubano de Rusia muerto en combate en la invasión de Ucrania.  Según el comandante Kirill Veres, jefe de la 54 brigada del Ejército ucraniano, murieron en combate entre 4 y 16 cubanos tras una emboscada contra su brigade y su cuerpo y el de otro cubano fueron hallados con la identificación. Formaban parte de unidades comando o fuerzas especiales rusas conocidas como 'grupos tormenta,' que atacaron a la 54 contaba con 16 grupos tormenta; en cada uno de los cuales hay dos cubanos. Según su esposa, Pacheco había cumplido el servicio militar obligatorio en Cuba, pero no tenía formación militar. Le prometieron alrededor de 2,000 dólares y un pasaporte a cambio de trabajar en ciudades ya ocupadas por los rusos, sin embargo, tras un entrenamiento militar de 15 día,  fue enviado al frente de batalla. Había decidido ir a Rusia en contra los deseos de su familia para asegurar un mejor futuro económico para su familia, especialmente para su hija de ocho meses.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Reported: Highly likely / Highly reliable source(s)

Cause of Death: - Combat: Fatality or Missing in Action

Occupations: - Military Specific Occupations

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Internationalist - state agent: subversive/paramilitary/mercenary

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: - Case 11728: Leonel Fundichel y Duquesne

Case Record - Denis Frank Pacheco Rubio