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Alabuga Start: The program trafficking African women to build suicide drones in Russia
Dozens of African women are working in Russian factories to build Shahed-136 drones which kill Ukrainian civilians, including women and children. Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has turned to young African women to fill manpower shortages in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone.
These women face several dangers: human trafficking, exposure to dangerous substances, drone attacks
(see video of attack
at the end of this page).
How did they end up there?
To avoid any further exploitation and humiliation of the women in the Alabuga Start program, some images on the website are AI generated and illustrative only.
You will see the 'AI' watermark in the corner of the image.
You will see the 'AI' watermark in the corner of the image.
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Alabuga SEZ is currently undergoing significant expansion, looking to produce thousands more military drones to fuel its illegal war in Ukraine. Satellite imagery of the site shows plans to build new residential buildings for workers, summer work camps for children and a tent city linked to the camps.
What your leaders are doing
Find out what your leaders are doing about human trafficking.
Coercion and Deception
Read more about the organizations deceiving young women to come to Russia…
Find Your Relatives
If you have information to share, or you’re interested in finding out about a relative or friend who you believe is in the Alabuga Start program, please provide us with information:
You are not alone, read testimonies from relatives of victims here
The Recruiters
These individuals, men and women, either travel to the African continent to promote their program or provide HR support functions to their operations.
No matter what Alabuga Start and its employees claim, the reality that these young women face is very different: forced labour, an inability to return home, deception about pay, unsafe work practices, racism, and sexual exploitation.
Alabuga Start’s Key Recruiter and Facilitator Network in Africa
Racism and Prostitution
Alabuga START only recruits African and Asian women aged between 18 to 22. These women have experienced high levels of racism, with Russian supervisors calling them “mulattoes” and other derogatory terms.
The women are subject to sexual abuse and exploitation, with some being forced to turn to prostitution to support themselves.
Human Trafficking
Nearly 200 women from several African and Asian countries are present working at Alabuga START. They cannot leave the Special Economic Zone, let alone return to their home countries. They are subject to curfews and forbidden from talking about their involvement in manufacturing drones – and those that do face threats and fines.
They receive low pay, and sometimes no pay at all. They are promised education and economic opportunities, but face exploitation in harsh conditions.
According to the UN, human trafficking is “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit”.
Working in a Warzone
Alabuga is part of Russia’s war economy. It is producing weapons which are killing women and children in Ukraine. In April 2024, a factory in Alabuga was attacked by a drone. The women – who are not warned about the risks – are exposed to serious dangers working in this environment. In addition to drone attacks, women work with chemicals without being provided protective gear resulting in skin conditions and constant itching.
Attack on dormitories of workers at the Alabuga drone manufacturing plant,
April 2024
We are an independent network of female investigative researchers, journalists and activists. Our investigations and activism focus on the harmful and exploitative practices of individuals, organizations and states – especially those that affect women. Our contributors come from all over the world, but remain anonymous due to the type of work they undertake.