Moscow: They hoped for a better career but ended up in Russia’s war factories. A new study reveals how young women, mainly from Africa, have been exploited. Some of those affected have shared their stories with DW.
According to Deutsche Welle, Aminata, a 20-year-old from Sierra Leone, is set to leave her home country to pursue an apprenticeship in Russia, courtesy of the Alabuga Start program. This initiative, named after an industrial area in southwestern Russia, covers travel costs and provides dormitory accommodations for participants. However, the reality for many is grim, as they find themselves assembling drones under poor conditions.
DW contacted several program participants, most of whom feared reprisals and chose not to speak on the record. Chinara, a young Nigerian woman, shared her experience via social media messaging services, expressing how they were turned into hard laborers with low wages. Initially promised careers in logistics, service, and other sectors, these young women found themselves
assigned to drone assembly or other menial tasks, often dealing with dangerous chemicals.
The Alabuga SEZ, a major production hub for Geran-2 drones, expanded its operations after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Labor shortages have led recruiters to focus on migrant workers from the Global South, with more than 111,000 African workers arriving in Russia in 2024, a significant increase from previous years.
The study by the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime highlights the exploitative conditions these women face, working long hours under supervision and exposed to health risks. Many of these young women, some as young as 16, were unaware of the true nature of the work until they arrived.
Parents in countries like Zimbabwe express concern over their daughters’ well-being, as they report forced labor, surveillance, and withheld passports. Interpol has begun investigating the Alabuga Start program for potential human trafficking, as awareness of the program’s risks grows in countrie
s like Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
The Alabuga Start program has not responded to requests for comment from Deutsche Welle.