‘South Africa probes Russian firms accused of luring young women for Ukraine war’ 23 August 2025

South Africa is investigating reports of Russian companies targeting young women for overseas work that may be supporting Moscow's war in Ukraine through drone factories. This recruitment drive, which South Africa is now investigating, is part of a larger Russian effort to mitigate a severe labour shortage in Ukraine, exacerbated by demographic decline and wartime mobilization. Bloomberg reports that Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan, one of Russia’s flagship industrial hubs and a key player in producing Shahed-type military drones used in combat, is among the main recruiters.

The recruitment process is being coordinated under the BRICS umbrella, particularly through the South African chapter of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance. According to reports, the alliance signed an agreement in May to supply over 5,600 workers to Alabuga and construction firm Etalonstroi Ural in Russia. The BRICS Student Commission in South Africa also advertised job opportunities in Russia's construction and hospitality sectors, targeting women aged 18-22. These opportunities were further promoted on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok as well-paid international placements. Lebogang Zulu, chair of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance in South Africa, told Bloomberg the campaign was an attempt to “match Russia’s labour demand with South Africa’s unemployment crisis.” Nearly a third of South Africans are unemployed, and almost half of women under 34 are jobless.

South African authorities have launched an investigation into the recruitment drive, seeking clarity on its true intentions, while refraining from outright condemnation due to the country's diplomatic ties with Russia. "The government is actively probing reports of foreign programs that recruit South Africans under false pretenses," the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) stated…The probe follows research by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), alleging that many women recruited through the Alabuga program were unknowingly assigned to drone assembly plants…The South African government has yet to find conclusive evidence linking the jobs to drone production, but acknowledges the risks. Pretoria is keeping its investigation open, while human rights groups push for greater oversight of foreign recruitment schemes.