Moscow: Russia has been accused of making false promises to recruit young women from across Africa to work in drone-assembling factories. The women were coerced into assembling Shahed-136 kamikaze drones in a dangerous area that has been repeatedly bombed by Ukraine.
According to France24.com, the South African government has opened an investigation and issued a warning to its citizens after these accusations surfaced. A number of South African influencers employed by Russia’s Alabuga Start Programme issued apologies after they traveled to the region and made promotional videos.
The women were misled into traveling to the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in the Russian republic of Tatarstan with promises of hospitality work. Instead, they found themselves assembling Iranian-designed Shahed-136 drones in an area targeted by Ukrainian air strikes. The targeted recruits were primarily young women aged between 18 and 22 years from Africa, South America, and South Asia, drawn from countries with high unemployment rates, such as South Africa.
The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a non-governmental organization monitoring Iran’s nuclear program, showed interest in Alabuga following a visit by an Iranian delegation in January 2023. ISIS utilized open-source investigative methods to reveal the construction of drone factories and dormitories at Alabuga.
Russia’s shortage of unskilled labor due to its war in Ukraine led to the establishment of the Alabuga Start Programme. This initiative targets young women from regions with high unemployment, offering promises that do not align with the harsh realities they face upon arrival in Russia.
Influencers played a significant role in the recruitment process. Several South African social media influencers promoted the program without understanding the conditions at Alabuga. Following allegations of human trafficking and modern slavery, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation issued warnings, and influencers removed promotional posts and issued apologies.
The spread of unverified information through social media has facilitated scams, and recruitment experts warn of red flags such as unverifiable company presence and pressure to act urgently.
Despite the controversies, Alabuga’s directors continue to expand operations, with new drone factories and housing developments. ISIS suggests that Alabuga may seek to export drones beyond the Ukraine conflict, potentially targeting markets indifferent to sanctions on Russia.