Tech giants, Google, Meta, and TikTok, have taken down social media posts originating from a Russian drone factory located in the Tatarstan region following an investigation by The Associated Press. The investigation uncovered a recruitment drive targeting young foreign women to assemble drones for Moscow’s operations in Ukraine.
The drone factory, situated in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone and under U.S. and British sanctions, lured women predominantly from Africa with promises of a free trip to Russia and a monthly salary exceeding $500 through a programme named “Alabuga Start.” However, upon arrival, the women discovered they would actually be working in the factory assembling Iranian-designed attack drones destined for Ukraine.
These young female workers reported gruelling hours under constant surveillance, broken wage promises, misrepresented study programs, and exposure to harmful chemicals causing skin issues. To protect their identities, the women were not identified by name or nationality in the AP report.
Accounts affiliated with Alabuga Polytechnic, a vocational school training individuals in drone production, with over 53,000 followers, were also removed by the tech companies. YouTube stated its commitment to sanctions compliance and terminated channels linked to the Alabuga Special Economic Zone. Meta corroborated the removal of Facebook and Instagram accounts that violated their policies.
TikTok, while not responding to immediate requests for comment, removed accounts associated with Alabuga showcasing about 35,000 followers. The women, aged 18-22 and hailing from various African nations and Sri Lanka, were targeted to address a labour shortage in wartime Russia. Recruitment efforts are expanding to Asia and Latin America.
Despite removal from mainstream platforms, accounts linked to Alabuga with large followings remain active on Telegram. The factory management and Telegram did not provide responses to AP inquiries. The Alabuga recruitment campaign, through edited videos on social media platforms, showcased the foreign women engaging in various tasks within the factory without disclosing the nature of the work.
Moreover, the investigation revealed that some students at Alabuga Polytechnic are as young as 15 and have voiced grievances about poor working conditions. Influencers promoting Alabuga as a quick earning opportunity post-education contributed to its growing visibility online. However, following the AP report, TikTok removed promotional videos associated with Alabuga.
Approximately 90% of the women recruited through the Alabuga Start scheme work in drone production, as highlighted by experts. The exposure of exploitative practices within the factory has prompted tech firms to take action by removing related social media content and accounts.