Moscow lures young African women to Russia to assemble drones
With deceptive offers of “jobs in the technology field”, Russia’s government has been using slick social media tricks to lure thousands of 18-22 year old women from impoverished African nations to Russia, that are then forced into assembling Shahed drones.
According to Bloomberg, Russia is actively sourcing labor from over 40 countries to help assemble deadly Shahed-136 kamikaze drones used against Ukrainian civilians and soldiers.
One major recruitment hub is Botswana. Since Alabuga Start’s launch in 2022, approximately 350 young women have been relocated to the Alabuga Special Economic Zone—an industrial center 12 hours east of Moscow dedicated to mechanical engineering and drone manufacturing. This year, Russia aims to bring in an additional 8,500 recruits, with efforts extending directly into educational institutions like the University of Botswana. There, on a recent Saturday afternoon, about 60 young women and their parents gathered to hear why they should move nearly 6,000 miles away.
The recruitment is often led by local influencers who have been indoctrinated or incentivized by Russia. Among them is Pelinah Gorata Pinaemang, who became involved with the program after visiting Russia’s Orenburg region last September. Recruits are promised perks like Russian language courses, hostel accommodations at $44 per month, and starting salaries of up to $860—a seductive offer in economies ravaged by unemployment.
But the reality is far bleaker. Once in Russia, many women find themselves forced into grueling and hazardous work assembling drones. According to the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security, “more than 90% of Start program personnel” are assigned to drone assembly, with the program targeting the production of 6,000 drones in 2025.
Participants report being subjected to constant surveillance, handling toxic substances without proper protective gear, and receiving far less pay than promised after deductions for living costs. Worse still, they become legitimate military targets: Ukraine has already struck facilities in Alabuga. The threat of human trafficking also looms, prompting Botswana’s Interpol office to launch an investigation, led by Detective Senior Superintendent Selebatso Mokgosi.
Driven by military conscription and a rapidly aging population, Russia is desperately scouring the globe for cheap, expendable labor. Last year, Alabuga Start expanded its recruitment from 44 countries to 77, targeting vulnerable populations across Central Asia, Latin America, and some of Africa’s poorest nations—including the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Lesotho. Even in relatively wealthier Botswana, dire youth unemployment has made Russia’s promises dangerously attractive.
Russia’s exploitation of African women for its war machine is not just a humanitarian scandal—it’s a stark reminder of the brutal lengths the Kremlin will go to sustain its aggression.