Russia recruits women in Africa, Asia and Latin America to produce shaheeds

For over a year, Geranium drones have been assembled in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the Republic of Tatarstan by the hands of African women — mainly from Uganda, Mali, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Sudan.

They all got into production through an online recruitment program called Alabuga Start, which was previously investigated by the AP.

In its article, Le Monde refers to new data from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, published in May 2025.

According to him, the Alabuga Start program is expanding its activities and recruiting women aged 18-22 from Latin America and South Asia. People are also continuing to be encouraged through Russian embassies in Africa.

The deceptive nature of recruitment and oppressive working conditions may constitute a form of fraudulent exploitation. These conditions may be a source of concern for countries of origin, the international community and the UN.

Testimonies describe long working hours, constant supervision, and health problems caused by exposure to harsh chemicals. Workers faced punitive management and harsh working conditions.

Recruitment was reportedly carried out online, including through social media and influencers, as well as through local intermediaries in the countries of origin.

Many recruits work directly in drone production, while others work as cleaners and food service workers. Some testimonies mention harassment, racism, and excessive surveillance by management.

According to them, the special economic zone, whose financial sponsor and ultimate customer is the Russian Ministry of Defense, is a vivid example of how "business, crime, and the state intersect in a gray area" to build up the capabilities of the military economy.

These findings have prompted some countries to take steps to protect their citizens. For example, Botswana police have asked Interpol to launch an investigation into allegations of human trafficking made by women working at the Alabuga SEZ.