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

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
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.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
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.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
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.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
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.

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