Hundreds of women from Nigeria and all over Africa are being tricked to work in factories in Russia to build killer one way attack drones for their war against Ukraine. Russia is preying on young educated women aged only 18-22 years old, as they believe them to be easier to influence and control than men.

They are promised large salaries, opportunities to study, and to learn a trade such as catering, hospitality, production, transport and installation. However when they arrive in Russia, they find this is all a lie. They are paid far less than they are promised, and the work involves building explosive attack drones in a factory in Alabuga, Tatarstan, deep inside Russia. They are forced to sign papers so they can’t reveal what they are doing to the outside world.

The work is dangerous, involving explosives and harmful chemicals, but they aren’t given proper protection. The hours are very long and exhausting, they work in secret under close supervision, and are treated as 2nd class humans with reports of constant racism, sexism and abuse.

These young women were excited at the opportunity to learn new skills by studying and working abroad, however they have been tricked by Russia to build military drones that are used to kill innocent civilians in Ukrainian cities.

We call on Russia to stop recruiting young Nigerian women into this programme of exploitation they call ‘Alabuga Start’ now, before any more are exploited.  

Russia have a sophisticated recruitment and influence operation inside Africa, designed to mislead our officials into supporting the programme and who pay trolls to shut down anyone who tries to warn of this exploitation. It is likely they will try to do the same to this petition. Please don’t let them silence us.

Sign the petition. Spread the word. Save our girls.

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