Women Making Russian Drones Were Tricked

Russia’s War, Africa’s Hands: The Women Building Drones in Tatarstan

From the moment she received her uniform, Adau understood a profound mistake had occurred. The twenty-three-year-old, a native of South Sudan, arrived at a sprawling industrial complex without a clear notion of her duties. Organisers immediately escorted her and other new recruits to a facility for manufacturing drones. Inside, unmanned aerial vehicles were everywhere, with workers swarming around assembly stations. It was here, amidst the machinery of war, that Adau was shown to her new post. This marked the beginning of a grim realisation for the young woman, who was enticed to Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, specifically the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, by the prospect of a stable, full-time job and professional development. This prospect, she would soon discover, was a carefully constructed deception.

The Alabuga Start Deception

Adau had submitted an application for the initiative known as Alabuga Start, a recruitment operation targeting women aged 18 to 22. The scheme cast a wide net, initially focusing on Africa but increasingly pulling applicants from nations in South-East Asia and Latin America. The programme’s glossy advertisements, often circulated through online platforms, promoted opportunities for vocational instruction in sectors like catering, logistics, and hospitality. However, a darker reality lay beneath the surface. The initiative stands accused of employing deceptive recruitment methods and subjecting its young workers to hazardous conditions for remuneration far below what was initially presented. While the programme denies these allegations, it does not dispute that a portion of its workforce is involved in constructing drones for Russia's military.

A Global Controversy Unfolds

The initiative called Alabuga Start recently captured international attention after social media personalities from South Africa faced accusations of advancing the trade in human beings by advertising the scheme. The BBC's attempts to contact the social media figures involved and the agent who connected them were met with silence. Estimates suggest that over 1,000 women have been brought from various African nations to staff Alabuga's munitions plants. This alarming situation prompted the government of South Africa to initiate an official inquiry in August, issuing a stark warning to its citizens to avoid the programme. Interpol in Botswana has also started an investigation into Alabuga Start for potential human trafficking, highlighting the growing international concern over the recruitment of "ambitious young women" for Russia's military campaign.

The Path to a Russian Factory

Adau, who requested her full name and image be withheld, first learned of the programme in 2023 through a friend's Facebook post. The advertisement, which appeared to be from the Ministry of Higher Education in South Sudan, led her to contact the organisers via WhatsApp. She completed an application, detailing her personal information and selecting three preferred areas of employment. With a strong fascination for technology and a desire to enter male-dominated professions, she chose to train to operate tower cranes. This aspiration stemmed from her previous experience, which included travelling abroad for an event focused on robotics. The application process, however, dragged on for a year due to a protracted process for obtaining a visa.

From Hope to Harsh Reality

Upon her arrival in Russia in March of the previous year, the bitter cold was Adau’s first shock. Yet, the initial journey to the Alabuga Special Economic Zone gave a misleadingly positive impression. The sight of modern factories, numerous vehicles, and farming enterprises suggested a thriving industrial hub that matched her expectations. Following a three-month period of mandatory Russian language classes, she began her work placement in July. It was then that her optimistic outlook crumbled. Adau and her fellow participants were given no choice but to take up roles at the drone manufacturing plant. They were bound by non-disclosure agreements that silenced them from discussing their work, even with their own relatives.

A Web of Lies

The recruits were left with a barrage of questions. All had enrolled to work in technical roles such as production operation or logistics, yet they all found themselves on the drone assembly line. Alabuga officially contests the use of dishonest recruitment methods, stating that all available employment areas are enumerated on its website. Workers were forbidden from taking photographs within the premises. However, when shown footage from RT, a television network run by the Russian state, which depicted the assembly of Shahed 136 drones of Iranian origin in Alabuga, Adau affirmed that it was her workplace. This direct contradiction exposes the chasm between the programme's public image and the actual circumstances faced by its recruits.

A War Production Facility

According to Spencer Faragasso, who is with the Institute for Science and International Security, the Alabuga Special Economic Zone is unequivocally a facility for producing war materials. Russia has publicly acknowledged its production of the Shahed 136 drones, known locally as Geran-2, at this site. Publicly released videos boast of the facility's accomplishments in bolstering Russia's military capabilities. Faragasso's research corroborates the accounts of many women who, like Adau, had no prior knowledge they would be manufacturing armaments. The promise of global travel, professional history, and a sustainable income proves to be a mirage, replaced by a difficult realisation of unfulfilled promises and a grim reality.

The Painful Truth

Adau knew instantly that it was impossible for her to remain at the plant. The accumulation of lies since her application became overwhelmingly clear. She felt unable to work for people who had been so fundamentally dishonest. Her life's ambitions extended far beyond the confines of a drone production facility. Upon handing in her resignation, she was forced to work a two-week notice period. During this time, she was assigned to paint the outer casings of the unmanned aircraft. The chemicals used were harsh, burning her skin through the protective overalls provided. The fabric of her uniform would become stiff from the substances that seeped through.

A Target of War

The dangers were not limited to chemical exposure. On the second day of April, 2024, a fortnight after Adau's arrival, an unmanned aircraft from Ukraine attacked the Alabuga Special Economic Zone. The attack, what was then the most profound Ukrainian aerial assault inside Russia, brought the war directly to the workers' doorstep. An unusual fire alarm woke Adau that morning, followed by the sound of an explosion that shattered the windows of their hostel. As she and others fled into the cold, they saw a drone in the sky. The unmanned aircraft struck the hostel directly adjacent to theirs, completely destroying it and damaging their own building.

The Realisation Dawns

Months later, the memory of that assault took on a new, terrifying significance when Adau learned the true nature of her work. Ukraine, it became clear, was aware that the women from Africa recruited for drone manufacturing resided in those specific hostels. When faced with claims of striking non-military targets, Ukrainian officials reportedly clarified that the occupants were workers in the drone facilities. Following the strike, fear prompted a small number of women to leave the programme without notice. This led the administration to temporarily confiscate the remaining workers' passports, a measure that only heightened the sense of entrapment.

Image Credit - by Nail Ziyatdinov/ОЭЗ «Алабуга», CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Propaganda and Promises

When questioned why the assault on the dormitory and widespread reports about Alabuga's role in drone production did not arouse her suspicions earlier, Adau explained personnel had consistently promised her that her work would align with her application. The allegations seemed like propaganda directed against Russia, a common narrative in a world saturated with information and disinformation about the conflict. The departure of European and American workers after the war began had created vacancies. Russia's turn to African recruits seemed, at that moment, like a simple effort to fill the labour gap, not a calculated move to staff its war machine.

The Cost of Escape

Adau’s family was able to send her money for a flight home, but many other women are not so fortunate. They find themselves stuck, unable to afford a return ticket. Their financial precarity is exacerbated by wages that are a fraction of what was promised. Her contract stipulated a monthly salary of $600, but she received only about one-sixth of this figure. The programme made numerous deductions for rent, language classes, Wi-Fi, transport, and taxes. Punitive fines were also levied for being absent from her job for a day, setting off a fire alarm, or failing to complete assignments for her Russian language course.

Conflicting Experiences

The initiative known as Alabuga Start maintains that salaries are linked to professional conduct and output. A different participant in the initiative, who chose to remain anonymous, shared a more favourable time. She argued that all businesses operate with regulations and that it is logical for pay to be docked for poor performance or absenteeism. She insisted that Alabuga does not detain anyone against their will and that workers are free to depart whenever they wished. This contrasting account highlights the complex and varied experiences of those recruited into the programme, though it does little to mitigate the serious allegations of deception and exploitation.

The Moral Burden

For Adau, the experience was devastating. The realisation that she was contributing to Russia's military campaign was a heavy burden. There were moments of profound despair, where she would return to her hostel and weep at the thought of her complicity. The feeling of participating in the assembly of something responsible for immense loss of life was, in her words, horrible. Her story is a powerful testament to the hidden human cost of conflict, where the desperate search for a better life can lead to unwilling participation in the machinery of war.

Russia's Expanding Drone Arsenal

The Alabuga manufacturing facility is a critical component of Russia's strategy to expand its drone production. The facility, which began operations in July 2023, is focused on manufacturing the Shahed-136 type drones. Production has surged, with plans to produce thousands of units annually. This increase is facilitated by imported components, primarily from China, and the recruitment of low-skilled labour, which includes adolescents from the area and employees from other countries. The expansion of the Alabuga site is visible in satellite imagery, which shows a significant increase in production space and enhanced security measures, including anti-drone cages.

International Sanctions and Scrutiny

The activities at the industrial zone in Alabuga have not gone unnoticed by the international community. The United States and the United Kingdom have imposed sanctions on the industrial area and related entities. The European Union has also introduced restrictive measures, prohibiting EU businesses from contracting with or investing in the         . These sanctions aim to curb Russia's access to the technology and components needed for its drone programme. Despite these measures, the recruitment of foreign nationals continues, raising questions about the effectiveness of sanctions in halting the flow of labour to Russia's defence industry.

The Role of Social Media in Recruitment

The Alabuga Start initiative has leveraged a sophisticated social media campaign to attract young women. Slickly produced videos showcase a vibrant and welcoming environment, with smiling participants enjoying cultural sites and engaging in recreational activities. These campaigns, however, conveniently omit any mention of work in a drone production plant. The use of social media influencers has been particularly effective in reaching a wide audience. Following investigations and public outcry, tech companies like Google, Meta, and TikTok have removed posts and accounts connected to the initiative, but the challenge of policing such recruitment efforts remains.

A Pattern of Exploitation

The experiences of women at Alabuga are part of a broader pattern of Russia seeking foreign nationals to support its military campaign. Facing a domestic labour shortage and a reluctance to enact another unpopular draft, Russia has turned to recruiting from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. These recruitment schemes often exploit economic vulnerabilities, luring individuals with promises of high salaries and a better life. Once in Russia, however, a significant number of them find themselves in exploitative conditions, with their passports confiscated and their wages significantly lower than promised. This raises serious concerns about human trafficking and forced labour within Russia's war economy.

Government Responses and Investigations

The revelations about the Alabuga Start initiative have prompted responses from several governments. South Africa's investigation into the recruitment of its citizens is a significant step. Similarly, Interpol's probe highlights the potential for international cooperation in tackling such exploitative schemes. However, the response from the home countries of a significant number of the recruited women has been mixed. Some governments appear to have been unaware of the true nature of the programme, while others have been slower to act. This underscores the need for greater awareness and more robust measures to protect vulnerable citizens from deceptive recruitment practices.

The Human Cost of Asymmetric Warfare

The widespread use of drones in the Ukraine conflict has changed the face of modern warfare. These relatively cheap, remotely operated weapons can inflict significant damage on both military and civilian targets. The mass production of drones, as seen in Alabuga, is a key part of Russia's strategy to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences. The stories of women like Adau reveal the hidden human supply chain that fuels this strategy. Their unwilling participation in the production of these weapons adds a tragic and often overlooked dimension to the human cost of the conflict.