Tracking trails to Russia
Mbongeni Mguni - Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday May 4, 2026 10:42
Armed with a recorder, our insider at the recruitment meeting was highly specific in the details he provided. On April 5 at the UB, about 60 youths and their parents gathered for what was billed as an informational session on opportunities in Russia.
The audience was 98 percent female, and this was by design. Flyers distributed at the event indicated that the opportunities were open only to women aged 18 to 22, with at least a secondary school education and without major illnesses.
A flyer shared with Mmegi shows that the jobs on offer included sectors such as service and hospitality, road transport driver and catering industry. Other job descriptions were vague, such as production operator, installation works and finishing works.
Alabuga Start, a quasi-governmental entity of sorts, was hosting the meeting at the UB, ostensibly as part of an outreach effort to offer opportunities to young Africans.
Various NGOs and investigations by international media such as Bloomberg have since alleged that Alabuga is an entity responsible for recruiting young women to work in Russia’s military factories, particularly in drone making. Descriptions such as “production operator, installation works and finishing works” are used to mask the actual work that gullible and desperate women have been recruited for, investigators say.
Dr Oleksiy Syvak, Ukraine’s ambassador to Botswana, last week told Mmegi that Alabuga recruits were amongst those building the infamous Shahed drones used mainly by Russia in the war. He said Ukraine considers factories where the drones are being built as “legitimate military targets”.
At the UB meeting, breakfast snacks were handed out and later, lunch packs from Pedros, a generosity that for some in attendance seemed suspicious, as most job interviews do not involve candidates being offered meals.
Local recruiters, alongside two representatives from Alabuga, rallied the attendants to make decisions for themselves and not listen to the allegations being made on social media about people being recruited to “build bombs or fight the war”.
“Don’t let what people are saying on social media decide for you,” said the local recruiter. “The children are going in April. At least twelve of them out of 70 will be going. “We are going to have quarterly meetings with the parents for them to know how the children are doing and get feedback. “There’s misinformation and disinformation, but we take charge of our children. “When we get to Russia, I make sure they have settled well before I come back to Botswana.”
At the meeting, various other Batswana who had been to Russia also gave their testimonials.
“I went there in 2022, and I was also sceptical,” one said. “You don’t need a visa to go to Russia from Botswana. “Russians are very sweet people, and they cared for me. I had lost my luggage and had to wear the same clothes for two days; they cared for me. “There’s no human trafficking, and I want to clear this misconception that you will be trafficked; there’s nothing like that. “You don’t need to worry about that.”
At the gathering, recruiters took the audience through various activities, including stage performances by some students in Russian language conjugation, a dialogue between two students in Russian, and a gospel choir performance.
Potential recruits were informed that they needed to learn at least 100 Russian words in the shortest possible time to be included in the programme. Some Batswana took to the stage to demonstrate how many words they had already grasped.
Investigators say the real reason the recruits need to learn the 100 words is so that their principals in Russia can give them assignments in the factories. The recruiters said the 100 words are needed as part of ongoing training on the Russian language in the different job opportunities on offer.
“When they are interviewed, they do an exam for knowing some Russian,” said the Alabuga representative at the meeting. “They are going to Russian language courses, and this is needed to go to another cycle. “If they will work in the kitchen, they just learn Russian words, but for others, they need to learn more. “To be a waitress, they need more Russian words for communication.”
The founder of a local NGO took to the stage to reassure the audience.
“My first time ever flying was in 2015 when I was flown by the church to the DRC. I was scared. “Now I have travelled to more than 50 countries, and I have never paid for my ticket; they were all fully funded programmes. “Once you start, you can come back and contribute to your country. “Today, I want you to challenge yourself and find someone who inspires you. Look for platforms that share these opportunities. “Also know that you may apply for this programme and not make it, but keep trying and also learn to embrace rejection.”
Parents at the meeting were a mix of the cautious and the hopeful. One parent specifically asked the Alabuga representatives whether their recruitment was about drone manufacturing. He was told it was not and that it was, in fact, a fantastic opportunity.
Mmegi approached Interpol shortly after the meeting. Detective Senior Superintendent Selebatso Mokgosi, Officer Commanding Interpol National Central Bureau, Gaborone, said the organisation was aware of the recruitment campaign.
“Yes, we are aware of reports concerning the Alabuga Start recruitment,” he told Mmegi in April 2025. “We are investigating the matter and have not reached any conclusions. “We were made aware of the issue via social media, and there was a concern about human trafficking and related issues. “We have interviewed the local recruiter and continue with our investigations. “We urge anyone with more information to come forward with it.'
When reached for comment recently, Mokgosi referred Mmegi’s enquiries to the main police communications unit, which subsequently declined to comment and deferred to the International Relations ministry. The Ministry has said diplomatic engagements with Russia are continuing regarding the recruitment of Batswana.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether any Batswana were recruited by Alabuga. What is known is that Ukrainian forces have struck the factories in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone at least three times since the war with Russia began.
The last attack, on June 15 last year, caused one fatality and 13 injuries at the Yelabuga drone factory, the 24-hour plant where Russia is building thousands of drones for the war effort.