CSIS report details forced labor at Alabuga drone factory

A report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) describes exploitative labor conditions at the Alabuga special economic zone in Tatarstan, where Russian Shahed strike drones are manufactured.

The report cites Ukrainian intelligence stating that North Korea has sent approximately 12,000 workers to the facility. These workers reportedly earn $2.50 per hour, with the North Korean regime seizing between 70% and 90% of their wages.

Additionally, the report highlights the exploitation of young women aged 16 to 22 from Africa, Latin America, and Asia. These individuals are allegedly recruited with promises of service sector jobs and $500 salaries, but upon arrival, their passports are confiscated and 90% are assigned to drone assembly. The report also notes that students from Alabuga Polytech College begin 12-hour shifts as young as 15 under the guise of practical training.

The facility has a potential production capacity exceeding 5,500 drones per month, with plans to expand the workforce from 1,000 to 40,000. The report further notes that 80% of electronic components are imported from China. Authors of the report are calling on the U.S. Treasury Department to impose sanctions on the companies and educational institutions involved in these recruitment and production practices.