Young women from over a dozen Latin American nations have traveled to Russia in hopes of exploring opportunities, initially seeking work in hospitality, but ultimately finding themselves involved in the production of “kamikaze” drones for Moscow’s conflict in Ukraine.
This recruitment effort, which began shortly after Russia’s invasion in 2022, largely focused on women aged 18 to 22, with corporate ads promoting cultural and sports exchanges as a means of attraction, according to a review by The Post.
The manufacturer Alabuga Start has aggressively marketed on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to attract inexpensive labor for producing the Guerlain 2 drone, a Russian variant of an Iranian-made model.
In Brazil, recruiters incentivized attendance at financial literacy events by offering prizes like laptops and smartphones, as highlighted in a promotional ad.
A TikTok video by Bolivian recruiter Sara Valentina Enriquez features a cheerful scene of a young woman in a classroom, high-fiving peers. Requirements to apply include being between 18 and 21, having completed education, and being “in good health and willing to learn.”
The Spanish-language video outlines job opportunities for Latin American migrants, with earnings ranging from $541 to $1,783 monthly in roles such as cooking, industrial production, cleaning, and customer service, while notably omitting any mention of lethal weapon production.
In Ecuador, Alabuga Start has become the main sponsor of the top sports club, El Nacional, displaying its branding on the team’s latest jersey. Women who sign up with the company receive complimentary game tickets. Both the team and Alabuga Start did not respond to requests for comments.
“If they can leverage ties with sports clubs like El Nacional, it seems likely they’ll keep recruiting women, pushing the limits of what’s acceptable,” said Maria Riofrio, a research assistant with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, referencing a detailed report on the group’s initiatives.
In Venezuela, an advertisement from 2024 enticed women with a $555 monthly job, along with a scholarship for studying at a Russian university and taking a language course.
“It’s clearly misleading, no doubt about it,” remarked Max Lesser, a senior analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and co-author of the report.
The company offered free flights to Russia and sought workers for a special economic zone in Tatarstan, about 900 miles from Moscow, which researchers suggest could be likened to “human trafficking.”
Registered employees faced rigorous controls and surveillance, with reports indicating they were housed in dormitories under constant video monitoring.
Advertisements across Latin America generally fail to mention that the special economic zone serves as a significant production site for Iranian-designed drones used against Ukraine.
“They also impose monetary penalties and deductions from wages, meaning a promised salary of around $600 can be reduced significantly for things like room and board,” Riofrio explained. “Many of these conditions classify as forced labor and human trafficking, complicating any escape.”
Due to a labor shortage, Russia initiated this recruitment program initially targeting Africa. “As the initiative drew attention there, recruiting became more challenging,” Riofrio noted.
Consequently, the company expanded its focus to regions like Latin America.
This strategy proved beneficial; as of 2023, Russia was able to “significantly” ramp up drone production, reportedly reaching 2,700 units per month by June, enough for 90 daily launches, according to Ukrainian military sources.
In 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned a company in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, labeling it a “major factory” for the production of one-way attack drones.
Estimates indicate that the workforce in this special economic sector escalated from 1,000 to 40,000 workers.
A report from the Institute for Science and International Security suggests that 90% of the women sent to work in Tatarstan were involved in drone assembly.
Following a drone strike on a factory within Russian territory in April 2024 that injured twelve workers, some women encountered passport confiscations, while others faced fines or were forced to leave.
The company’s promotional materials reflect significant growth: hiring rose from 22 individuals across seven countries in 2023 to 327 in 2024, with plans to recruit 8,500 in 2025. New hires are also required to sign confidentiality agreements.
“Once you’re in, it essentially becomes a black box,” Lesser explained.
