The full-scale war in Ukraine has been raging for three years now. One of the defining military developments during this conflict has been the use of drones. And both sides have utilised them with devastating effect.

These include the small drone operators dropping bombs on unsuspecting troops to the Iranian-designed Shahed kamikaze drones smashing into residential buildings in Ukrainian cities.

In Russia, where many people have been drafted into the military, the country has seen a labour shortage in key industries that support its war machine. One such industry is the manufacture of Shahed drones, which are now built in Russia.

In 2023, reports about the people building these drones emerged, first in the Russian media, and then in an investigation by the Associated Press. The AP investigation revealed that Russian drone manufacturers had been falsely recruiting young women from a number of African countries, such as Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria – to work in a drone factory located in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia’s Tatarstan.

The young women applied through an online advertisement called ‘Alabuga Start’, which falsely advertised a work-study program in industries like catering or hospitality and offered free plane tickets and money. But the workers are unaware of the reality where they were put to work in factories building drones that would be launched against Ukraine.

According to the Global Organized Crime Index – labour exploitation and false recruitment practices fall under human trafficking, as it involves “a form of coercion, deception, abduction or fraud” – and Eastern Africa leads globally for the most pervasive human trafficking market (with a score of 7.78 out of 10).

6 out of the 9 countries in the region, roughly 67%, score eight or higher for Human Trafficking and is only equalled in the region by arms trafficking.

Russia itself has relatively high levels as well, at 7.5 out of 10.

This episode will address concerns around the example of Alabuga Start and whether or not it is an example of human trafficking.

Presenter: Thin Lei Win

Speaker(s): Julia Stanyard, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

Links

Paper - Who is making Russia's drones? The migrant women exploited for Russia's war economy

Russia Country Profile

Ukraine Country Profile

South Africa Country Profile

Uganda Country Profile

Kenya Country Profile

Rwanda Country Profile

South Sudan Country Profile

Nigeria Country Profile

Sierra Leone Country Profile

The...