July 31, 2023

Forced to Work for the War Industry


Forced to Work for the War Industry
An artist's impression of Shahed 136 drones swarming an airport. Khamenei.ir, Wikipedia Commons

Students of the Alabuga Polytechnic College in Tatarstan are being forced to assemble Iranian Shahed drones. These drones are widely used by Russia to strike Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.

According to journalists, several hundred college students, most between the ages of 15 to 17, are allegedly involved in the assembly of these drones using Iranian components. Many of these students are reportedly subjected to long working hours, including weekends and holidays, leaving them with very little time to focus on their studies.

Furthermore, college management has allegedly imposed restrictions on discussing the drone assembly project. They threaten students with deductions and exorbitant fines of up to two million rubles (approximately $22,000) if they speak out. The students also claim that the security service at Alabuga monitors their communication by checking their phones before they commence work.

"Everyone is afraid. I’m not allowed to say that at all. The management intimidates us very much about this," says one of the students.

These revelations concerning the Alabuga Polytech College point to a larger pattern of concerning practices. The pressure on students at Alabuga Polytechnic is very high; in April, a first-year student committed suicide. According to peers and relatives of the deceased, the student's suicide could have been driven by the fear that their family would have to reimburse the college for unfinished studies.

In addition, journalists discovered that students are compelled to participate in so-called “patriotic actions,” which include digging trenches and paintball sessions simulating battles from the Great Patriotic War. Losing teams are allegedly subjected to being shot with paintball guns. Sergey Alekseyev, a top manager of Alabuga, describes the paintball games as a means to "weed out weaklings at the beginning." 

The situation at Alabuga Polytechnic is not isolated. Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, students from various regions of the country have allegedly been forced into “patriotic actions” or recruited to work for military purposes. In 2022, some students were reportedly involved in manufacturing military gear, including clothing, thermal underwear, sleeping bags, and other equipment for the Russian military. During mobilization, students were coerced into distributing summonses.

You Might Also Like

Taken from Home to Belarus
  • July 24, 2023

Taken from Home to Belarus

Children from Russian-annexed Ukraine are being sent to camps in Belarus. Many don't return.
Strangers on a Train
  • July 09, 2023

Strangers on a Train

A Russian journalist recounts a very telling encounter in a train from Tula to Moscow.
Scared and Suspicious
  • July 04, 2023

Scared and Suspicious

Nearly half of Russians distrust official information regarding the war in Ukraine.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955