Late last year, the world was alerted to the disturbing news that Russia was recruiting hundreds of young African women, aged 18–22, to manufacture drones in a military-industrial compound called Alabuga, 1,000 km east of Moscow.

The reports also stated that the recruits—from at least 15 African countries—were promised good salaries and skills training, but once there, they were often trapped, facing tax deductions, dangerous working conditions, strict surveillance, and difficulties returning home.

In the past six months, a ZAM team in seven African countries, including PREMIUM TIMES in Nigeria, has investigated the Russian recruitment exercise—and why so many young Africans take the chance to go, sometimes even after being warned.

Emmanuel Mutaizibwa finds that his country is slowly turning into a trafficking station, sending young women to Russia while at the same time offering itself as a dumping ground for migrants from elsewhere.

When, on 12 August 2025, nine men were intercepted at Uganda’s Entebbe airport, ready to be flown as mercenaries to Russia, the scandal made headlines for days. The former private military contractors, who had earlier served in Iraq and Afghanistan, had been promised lucrative contracts of over $6,250 a month by an opaque firm called Magnit, led by a Russian who is currently under arrest

Responding to the arrests, Ugandan Defence Forces Chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is the president’s son, warned on X that, “Ugandans are absolutely forbidden from being recruited to participate in the Russia–Ukraine war. Anyone who dares will be punished severely.”

Female recruits, however, appear to be a different story. “Boys are dangerous. We are OK with them taking girls,” explains MP Edson Rugumayo when our team interviews him in his Kampala office.