A Cuban woman residing in Kyiv has taken to TikTok to share her reasons for not returning to Cuba, despite the ongoing conflict fueled by Russia. Massiel Hernández Castro, who runs the profile massi_h_c, explained why she chooses to remain in a war-torn country rather than return to her homeland.
"I know people think it would be easier if I went back to my country. They say, 'This country is at war! Are you crazy?' many have told me," the young woman stated in her video. "But the sad reality of my country is harder than living in a war zone. There is no public transportation; you can't just go to a café and buy a coffee because there isn't one. You can't simply go to a mall and buy clothes; those stores don't exist," she lamented, concluding that she prefers living in a country at war over one without it.
Comments on her post echoed this sentiment: "Everything will end quickly. It can't last forever," "It's better to live with the risk of dying than to die while living!" and "Only Cubans will understand." Through her social media, she shares glimpses of her life in Ukraine, a country that presents challenges in language, climate, and cultural nuances.
Last year, Sasha Borrego, a Cuban nurse volunteering in Ukraine, spoke out against Cuban mercenaries joining Russian forces. "If the Russians win this war, it won't just be a loss for Ukraine; Europe will lose, and we all will," Borrego declared in an interview with AméricaTeVe. "You're not here (in Ukraine) to kill criminals; you're killing innocent people. Don't be foolish, and stop disgracing Cuba," she urged the mercenaries.