In desperation to replenish its arsenal Russia has turned to countries like Iran, and North Korea to bolster its weapons arsenal. North Korea has provided munitions towards this cause, while Iran entered a program that provides Russia with its Shahed unmanned drone. In a military agreement valued at over 1.5 billion US dollars, Russia began importing parts for Iranian drones to assemble in preparation for use in its war against Ukraine.  In its bid to acquire cheap human labour for this venture, Russia created a program targeting Third world countries for human resource towards its war effort. The Alabuga Drone factory situated in the Tatarstan region of Russia would become the site of what revelations confirm as a site where human rights atrocities have been committed against young African women.

The Anatomy of Duplicity

Russia launched the Alabuga Start International programme within the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and billed it as a platform where young women between 18 and 22 could receive training and launch their careers in many professions. The program that targeted vulnerable countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America became attractive. This was due to the claim that successful participants admitted into the program could relocate to Russia would be not incur costs but would be catered for and upon completion employed in various careers and paid at least 600 hundred dollar per month.

Using it various disinformation platforms on social media and on various web sites, young women were invited to make application for these lucrative offers. Those who took the risk and travelled to Russia have many months later emerged and blown the whistle on Russia’s duplicity and the exploitation that they were subjected to while enrolled in this Alabuga Start International programme. Many young women are now speaking out about the shock they experienced when they were trained and put to work in the Alabuga Drone factory to assemble drones that were destined to be used in the Russian- Ukrainian conflict.

In what many are now describing as a trap, Russia has and continues to lure young African women from approximately 30 nations. Many young women who are currently in the grip of this program come from countries that include Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. Vulnerable young African women continue to be lured with the promise of a better life and a chance at earning a decent living in Russia only to be exploited and abused by a country that uses their skills and labour to fuel an illegal war.

Human Rights Violations

Russia is in stark violation of Human Rights Law, Labour rights Law and its international treaty obligations. The Russian federation has ratified the 1930 International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention on Forced Labour, also known as C029. This convention specifically requires and expects that member states will not engage in forced labour and will do everything within its power to eliminate this practice within its jurisdiction.

The 1930 Convention on Forced labour in its various articles addresses key issues pertinent to forced or compulsory labour in all its forms. Article one addresses the eradication of all forms of forced labour in the shortest time possible. Article two clarifies that forced labour includes all work and service that is exacted from any person under the use of threats of force or untold consequences if an individual does not accept what they are told. Article twenty-five further directs that any illegal exaction of forced or compulsory labour shall be punishable as a penal offence.

Despite being a signatory to this important convention and in full violation of International Labour law, Russia has, using duplicity lured and forced young African women into forced labour in its weapons and munitions factory in the Tartastan region. Young women who have since escaped from this forced labour have described the horrendous and dangerous working conditions, they were subjected to in the Alabuga drone factory. Some of the gross violations they were subjected to included working in inhumane conditions, working for long hours, and handling dangerous chemicals without being provided with protective clothing to safeguard their health.

Russia is also in violation of the U.N. Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime that came into effect in 2003, to which it is a signatory to. By using fraudulent means to lure immigrant labour to its shores, Russia’s actions are in clear violation of best practice. Lack of full disclosure in the advertising of the actual labour required can be classified as potential labour trafficking. This further violates the human rights of the eventual victims. Lack of disclosure is interpreted as clear pre-meditation of intent to acquire labour with a view of exploiting these immigrants.