Russia assembles drones for war against Ukraine by recruiting women worldwide – Le Monde
Moscow continues to increase production of strike drones and expands recruitment of young women from Africa, Latin America, and South Asia under the pretense of "training programs."
This was reported by Le Monde, cited by Censor.NET.
Women aged 18 to 22, mostly from Uganda, Mali, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Sudan, are recruited through the Alabuga Start program to work in the Alabuga special economic zone in Tatarstan, where they assemble "Geran" drones used for strikes on Ukraine. The recruitment has since expanded geographically to Latin America and South Asia.
According to investigators, recruitment is conducted via social networks, Russian embassies in Africa, and local intermediaries. Many of the women were unaware they would be working in the military industry and believed they were joining a manufacturing internship.
Reports highlight:
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deceptive recruitment conditions,
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long working shifts,
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surveillance and repressive management,
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workers’ health deteriorating due to chemicals,
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incidents of racism and strict control.
It is reported that production in Alabuga is funded and coordinated by the Russian Ministry of Defense. This case illustrates how Russia’s military economy relies on the intersection of business, the state, and transnational crime.
Following the publication, some states began responding. Notably, Botswana’s police appealed to Interpol to investigate human trafficking allegations reported by former employees of the Russian special economic zone.
