HAVANA, Cuba.- Glenda Neninger Alom, a Cuban resident on the Island, did This Wednesday a desperate call to the community through Facebook groups “Cubans in Russia” and “Cubans in Russia (Moscow)”, in search of news about his brother, Brian Jesús Hernández Alom, who is missing after suffering an alleged accident in Kotelniki, a city 22 kilometers southeast of the center of Moscow, Russia.
The 26-year-old traveled to Russia on November 14, taking advantage of the exemption visa that allows the entry of thousands of Cubans into the country in search of new opportunities.
According to Glenda, on November 17, three days after his arrival, Brian fell from a building. Since that time, his family has been unable to obtain information about his health or location.
“We understand that he had an accident, he fell from a building. This is what we know so far and that he is hospitalized in Kotelniki, but no one knows how to give us an explanation for him,” he shared in the publication.
It was a roommate of Brian’s who notified the family about the accident.
Glenda asked for help from anyone who has information about her brother’s whereabouts: “Please, if anyone has seen him or knows anything, let us know.”
In statements to CubaNetGlenda explained that Brian arrived in Russia without a work contract, hoping to find job opportunities that would allow him to prosper, as the more than 20,000 Cubans who enter that country each year try to do. according to data of the Border Guard.
Desperate for news, the woman recently went to the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX), where she was informed that an email would be sent to the Cuban vice consul in Russia.
He also wrote to her personally. However, so far they have not received any response and the family’s anguish grows as the days go by.
Although the United States continues to be the main destination for Cuban migrants, with approximately 425,000 between fiscal years 2022 and 2023, migration to Russia has increased in recent decades.
This phenomenon is due to the ease of entry that the country offers, thanks to a visa exemption agreement signed in 2018, which allows Cubans to enter, transit and stay in Russia for 90 days.
Many see in that country a way out of the serious economic and humanitarian crisis that Cuba faces, characterized by the shortage of food, medicine and the deterioration of living conditions.
In this way, they have created informal networks and markets through Facebook groups such as “Cubans in Moscow” and “Cubans in Russia”, where they offer services such as selling tickets, sending remittances and job offers, although these initiatives often They are vulnerable to scams and labor exploitation.
Generally, Cubans rent in Russia in small rooms shared with other migrant compatriots and work in cleaning and construction jobs.
According to a report January 2024 of the Moscow media MSK1, there are thousands of Cubans who are currently doing the work that nationals do not want to do. According to figures cited in the report, there are currently between 4,000 and 5,000 Cuban migrant workers in Moscow.
For some, Russia is just a stopover before reaching the territories of the European Union through the Baltic countries. The few who have achieved it, undertook journeys that lasted months or even a year. And others only stay briefly to purchase products scarce in Cuba, such as clothing and car parts, which they then resell at much higher prices on the island.
The situation for Cuban migrants has become even more complicated with the war in Ukraine, as some have been recruited to join the Russian army, often under false promises of employment and pressures.
Throughout all these years of migration to Russia, the Cuban administration has provided little or no effective support, leaving many migrants stranded.
