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Work and Travel, Russian Style: How foreign women are recruited to make Shahed kamikaze drones – investigation
Since autumn 2022 Ukrainian cities have been suffering attacks by Iranian Shahed 136 drones. This weapon proved extremely effective for the enemy due to a shortage of air defenses and their high cost. At first, combined strikes together with drones targeted energy infrastructure. The Kremlin hoped to deprive us of electricity and heat, forcing society to capitulate. When that plan failed, the Russian army moved on to mass shelling of civilian cities. The choice was made in favor of a tactic of terror.
Such a scale required the creation of manufacturing capacities in Russia and the mobilization of a large workforce. The special economic zone Alabuga in Tatarstan became an ideal site. It is a territory with preferential conditions for business that was supposed to be a tool for development, but in fact turned into a war conveyor.
It was there that the Russians built a factory that continuously increases drone production. To cover personnel needs, the Kremlin launched two programs: Alabuga Polytech and Alabuga Start. The first is based on using college students, who are effectively forced to work on a drone assembly line in inhumane conditions, yet they are citizens of the Russian Federation. The second, far more interesting even from the perspective of the aggressor state's policy and direction, involves foreign women. Many foreign media wrote about the involvement of foreign women in drone production but almost never mentioned the recruitment process itself.
The editorial team of 24 Channel, with the help of intelligence sources, investigated how the Russians recruit foreign women to manufacture Shaheds. Read on in the article about the full selection procedure, how an Estonian company is involved in the scheme, and other interesting details.
International showcase: from TikTok to diplomatic delegations
Among the initiatives created within this project, the Alabuga Start program deserves separate attention. It is not just an educational or labor platform but effectively a tool for recruiting young foreign women. Alabuga Start is a program aimed at girls aged 18 to 22 from CIS countries, Africa and Asia. As can be seen from the list of countries on the site, the main focus is on the "Black Continent".
List of countries / Alabuga Start website
Knowing a hundred Russian words is enough and the door to "new opportunities" opens. In practice, however, young foreign women end up on long shifts in the Alabuga workshops, where under strict supervision they assemble Shahed 136 drones.
Screenshot / Rutube
The program is accompanied by a large-scale international recruitment campaign. The Russians use TikTok, Telegram bots and even Tinder, and hold meetings with international delegations. The advertising activity covers both small bloggers with a few hundred followers and major influencers in Africa and Latin America. For the girls they create simplified document processing mechanisms and even attract patrons to pay for their relocation. Behind this stands the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which helps legalize the process through diplomatic channels. The large advertising campaign includes cooperation with various public organizations and educational initiatives.
Meeting of Alabuga Start representatives and Ministers of Burkina Faso / Alabuga Start Telegram channel
The visit of an Alabuga Start representative to Burkina Faso looks like another step in Russia's attempt to expand influence via educational-labor projects. Official meetings with the Ministry of Employment and the Ministry of Higher Education aimed to create an image of "international partnership", where the Kremlin appears supposedly as an investor in youth development in African countries.
Special attention was paid to open events in the capital Ouagadougou, where potential candidates and their parents were invited. In this way the program seeks to gain the trust not only of students but also of families, who have the ultimate influence on children's decisions.
In reality, behind the polished presentations lies a well-practiced scheme: recruiting cheap labor for conveyor-belt drone production in Tatarstan. African countries, where youth are often deprived of prospects and stable employment, become a convenient platform for finding "volunteers".
Meeting of Alabuga Start representatives and ambassadors of African countries / Alabuga Start Telegram channel
On July 27 – 28, 2023, the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum was held in Saint Petersburg — an event Moscow presents as a "unique format of cooperation". In this halo of diplomacy and partnership, the activity of the Alabuga Start team, which positioned itself as an educational project but in fact pursues other goals, was particularly noticeable.
Headed by the HR director, the Alabuga delegation held a series of meetings with representatives of "partner" countries. Among them were the Ambassador of Uganda to Russia, Moses Kizige, and the Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Evgeny Terekhin. The topics were far from humanitarian declarations: they discussed practical mechanisms for recruiting new participants — from spreading information among youth to organizing expedited passport and visa processing for program participants.
Russia uses diplomacy and economic forums as a tool to mask the real goal: involving partners from African countries in military projects that serve the war against Ukraine.
Meeting of Alabuga Start representatives and a delegation from Nigeria / Alabuga Start Telegram channel
The visit of the delegation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, led by Ambassador Professor Abdullahi Y. Shehu, to the Alabuga special economic zone is another stroke in the picture of Russia's systematic work with African countries. The official part looked respectable: a meeting with program participants, a demonstration of conditions and talks about "educational opportunities". In reality, however, it is not about "cooperation in education" but about establishing a steady channel for supplying labor to drone production in Tatarstan. Thus, diplomatic contacts with Africa become part of Russia's war economy and should be viewed from that angle.
The Alabuga Start program actively uses overseas offices of the Russian organization "Rossotrudnichestvo", known under the label "Russian Houses", to conduct its events. Formally this organization positions itself as a state tool of "humanitarian" influence enshrined in Russian legislation.
But in reality "Rossotrudnichestvo" has long turned into one of the key instruments of Russian intelligence services abroad. Under the cover of cultural and educational programs it promotes the ideology of the so-called "Russian world", fueling Kremlin propaganda and legitimizing its informational and political influence worldwide.
Business Cats Olympiad in the CAR / Alabuga Start Telegram channel
Recruitment takes place simultaneously through social networks, official channels and even diplomatic meetings. The Kremlin tries to create an image of openness and "new opportunities", but in reality it is only a cover for the exploitation of girls who are lured into Russia's military industry.
SATVA.DEV and the Russian recruitment machine: the path from code to drones
The recruitment process for the Alabuga Start program begins with filling out an application.
There are several ways to do this:
- the official website,
- comments under posts on the Telegram page,
- and through educational institutions that act as program partners.
After submitting the form, an HR manager contacts the prospective participant. Among the main requirements are a foreign passport, the necessary vaccinations, and knowledge of a hundred basic Russian words. Verification takes place during an online interview. Another mandatory condition is passing a special game called Business Cats, which was created specifically to select candidates.
The participant's fate then depends on the quota for work visas for her country. Business Cats acts as a filter: it weeds out those who do not demonstrate analytical abilities or who have communication difficulties. The same program is used to select students for the Alabuga Polytech program, where youth are also used in drone production.
The developer of this "game" is the Russian company "Satvaspace".
During an in-depth study of Satvaspace's structure, we were able to find an Estonian company with a similar name, SATVA.DEV. It turned out that the owners are the same people: Anton Skrypnyk and Mikhail Yegeryev.
Screenshot of the site / SATVA.DEV
The Estonian company states on its site that it collaborates with many well-known brands, including pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
Screenshot of the site / SATVA.DEV
It is worth asking whether well-known brands know they entrust the development of their software to a company that helps recruit girls worldwide to produce kamikaze drones for killing Ukrainians? The Russians do not even try to hide this link. On the SATVA.DEV website, among implemented projects is the Business Cats game. The only difference is that the Estonian company does not state the true client, concealing its involvement with Alabuga.
The editorial office of the 24 Channel website contacted the relevant Estonian and Ukrainian authorities and provided materials with evidence of a Russian link to the Estonian company.
If a girl passes all selection stages and a visa quota is found for her country, she departs for Tatarstan, which in promotional materials is presented as a place of new opportunities. In reality she faces slave-like labor in drone production workshops. According to AP, many workers lack protective equipment, chemicals cause sensations like tiny needles pricking the face, and "small holes" that itch severely appear on the cheeks.
Upon arrival the girl is met by an HR representative. Sometimes this role is performed by another program participant. This process demonstrates that in Alabuga even recruitment is turned into a closed cycle of coercion.
Photo of new arrivals / Sources of 24 Channel
Everything then proceeds according to internal procedures. But it is worth remembering that this is the Russian Federation, where any "procedure" takes on a rather specific form. Behind the beautiful words and formal rules hides a system that resembles a mechanism of control and intimidation more than a civilized process of integration.
Patriotic upbringing of foreign women the Russian way: watch the video
We must not forget about the militarization of anyone in Russia. For example, so-called patriotic education is combined with a history course.
A notable event occurred on August 25, 2025, when the South African Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities issued a warning about suspicious job offers in Russia that have recently been widely advertised on social networks. Authorities acknowledge they cannot cope with youth unemployment but urge people not to risk their safety out of desperation.
We remind readers that South Africa is a member of the BRICS economic bloc and is at least a close partner of Russia, and at most an ally.
Anonymity broken: Alabuga recruiters step out of the shadows — who is really behind the program?
The backbone of the Alabuga Start program is its HR department. It is there that strategies for recruiting new participants are born; they conduct meetings with foreign delegations on the territory of the special economic zone and travel to countries that the Kremlin considers most promising for recruitment.
While searching for information about employees of this department, we came across the site AlabugaTruth and the community behind its creation. It is called Eris Nexus and describes itself as an independent network of researchers and activists working on issues that affect women's lives. The AlabugaTruth site has separate sections de-anonymizing recruiters and program partners. This proves that a system which built its work on secrecy and manipulation is gradually losing its main trump card — anonymity.
Screenshot of the page listing Alabuga Start partners / AlabugaTruth
According to sources of 24 Channel, three officials play a key role in Alabuga Start in attracting new candidates, selecting priority directions, and establishing international ties:
Saifullin Elmir Ravilovich
Photo of Saifullin (left) / Alabuga Start Telegram channel
Saifullin Elmir Ravilovich, 22.07.1994 (wearing glasses) – HR project manager at Alabuga Start
Trifonov Konstantin Gennadyevich
Photo of Trifonov (right) / Alabuga Start Telegram channel
- Trifonov Konstantin Gennadyevich, 11.03.1995 – Deputy HR project manager at Alabuga Start
- Email:
konstantin.trifonov@bk.ru
konstantin.trifonov95@bk.ru
eks_95@mail.ru
KTrifonov@alabuga.ru - Phone numbers:
+79046781648
+79674700275
- VIN: X9W214813D0035663
- License plate: K991TU21
Barysheva Anastasia Volodymyrivna
Photo of Barysheva (wearing glasses, center) / Alabuga Start Telegram channel
- Barysheva Anastasia Volodymyrivna, 27.09.1997 – Senior specialist of the HR Department of the Alabuga Start program
- Tax ID: 165721179731
- Phone: +79870665305
- Email: fromshire@mail.ru
- Possible address: Kazan, Pobedy Avenue, building 139, apt. 2
One of the most notorious figures among the recruiters is Anastasia Barysheva. She was mentioned in an article by the British Daily Mail, where she allowed herself openly racist remarks. In particular, Barysheva publicly complained about the "unpleasant smell" of program participants. Such statements not only underscore the toxic atmosphere inside Alabuga Start but also reveal the true attitude of Russian supervisors toward the girls they actively recruit worldwide. Behind promises of new opportunities lies common contempt, racism and humiliation.
Screenshot of the article / Daily Mail
On the Eris Nexus organization page Eris Nexus we also found a visualization of the network of recruiters and coordinators of Alabuga Start in Africa
This diagram clearly shows that Africa is the main direction for recruiting new program participants chosen by the Kremlin. There the Russians see the most vulnerable region, where poverty and unemployment make it easy to lure young girls into the trap of "new opportunities".
Alabuga Start: an educational project or a cover for modern slavery?
The Alabuga Start program, which the Kremlin presents as an opportunity for young foreign women, is in fact a modern form of forced labor. Girls from poor countries are lured by promises of education and career growth, but ultimately they end up in workshops of Russia's military industry assembling Shahed drones for attacks on Ukrainian cities. This scheme is backed not only by Russian officials and Alabuga curators but also by companies with international ties that help legalize the recruitment.
At the core of this program is the use of vulnerable people as free labor. The ostentatious "care" for foreigners actually turns into a system of violence, racism and humiliation. Once again the Kremlin proves it can turn any educational or social initiative into part of its war machine.
Russia is fighting not only against Ukraine. It is fighting against international law, against basic human rights and against the norms of the civilized world. Every girl who falls into the Alabuga Start trap becomes proof that Russian development and cooperation programs in fact hide slavery, exploitation and war.
SBU spokesperson Artem Dekhtyarenko provided a comment for 24 Channel regarding the directions of our security service's actions against activities in the Alabuga SEZ:
The Security Service of Ukraine systematically documents crimes related to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against our state and takes comprehensive measures to bring the perpetrators to justice. In particular, enemy strikes on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure are qualified by the SBU as war crimes and are investigated under Article 438 of the Criminal Code. This also applies to strikes carried out with the help of "Shahed"-type unmanned aerial vehicles, which the Russian Federation calls "Geraniums". Information about all these strikes is consolidated and systematized into the corresponding criminal proceedings, and currently our investigators are investigating over 3,000 cases regarding enemy strikes using "Shaheds". As established by the SBU, Russia began to massively use Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles against Ukraine starting in the second half of 2022. At that time these were Iranian-made drones that were delivered to Russia already assembled. Subsequently, on the basis of enterprises in the Alabuga industrial zone in the Yelabuga district of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia established assembly of unmanned aerial vehicles from ready-made parts delivered from Iran. To hide the facts of deliveries from that country, the Russians named the assembled drones "Geraniums" and moved away from the name "Shahed". Later the Russian Federation managed to establish a full assembly cycle of drones at the Alabuga facilities. And now, as SBU information indicates, the Russians have already manufactured more than 25,000 unmanned aerial vehicles in full production cycles at these enterprises. Another 20,000 were previously assembled from Iranian components, and over 2,000 UAVs were imported directly from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Our enemy constantly modernizes these developments. Russian engineers are tasked with increasing the power of strikes on Ukraine to scale up destruction and casualties when using these devices. In addition, the Russians are trying to make the "Geraniums" less vulnerable to Ukrainian air defenses. SBU investigators have already identified persons involved in the production of the "Geraniums". The SBU has gathered identifying data on Iranian officials and instructors who helped the Russians. We know the Russian units and the names of specific persons who use these drones, as well as the locations from which they launch them. Under the laws of war all of the above objects are legitimate targets. Thus, this year the SBU and other Forces of Defense of Ukraine carried out fire strikes on the relevant enterprises in Alabuga. Domestic drones covered distances of more than 1,000 km and hit the designated targets. In this direction the Security Service acts within the legal field. For example, the SBU has issued in absentia a suspicion to an Iranian general who trained the Russians to use "Shaheds" and personally coordinated 20 attacks on the territory of Ukraine. Investigators of the Service also collected evidence and issued in absentia a suspicion to the general director of Alabuga, who organized mass production of unmanned aerial vehicles. The SBU collects the evidentiary base in such a way as to bring criminals to responsibility under Ukrainian and international law.
Thus, the Kremlin uses foreign women not only as cheap labor but also as a "human shield", since they also become lawful targets. When Ukrainian drones or missiles strike military facilities where these girls are effectively forced to work, Russian propaganda is immediately ready to shout to the world: "Ukraine is killing girls from Africa or Asia". In reality it is Moscow that cynically exposes these people to danger, covering war production with foreign passports.