“They Knew but Promoted It”: SA Medical Student in Russia Weighs In on Controversial Alabuga Start

• A South African medical student studying in Moscow called out influencers who promoted the Alabuga Start programme
• The student clarified that her viral story about feeling like she was being trafficked when she first arrived in Russia was just about her initial experience, not connected to the programme
• She accused influencers of knowing about human trafficking allegations against Alabuga Start but choosing to promote it anyway

A South African medical student studying in Russia has spoken out about the controversial Alabuga Start programme, calling on influencers to take responsibility for promoting what she believes they knew was dangerous.

Content creator @emiiihle_ shared her thoughts on 25 August 2025 after her previous video about arriving in Russia went viral, reaching over 300,000 views overnight.

The young woman, who studies medicine in Moscow, felt she needed to clarify her situation after viewers became concerned about her safety. In her video captioned:

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"My opinion on this whole situation," she explained that she came to Russia years ago under a scholarship programme, not through Alabuga Start.

Her viral story about thinking she was being human trafficked when she first arrived in Russia was simply about her initial experience as a student, not related to the current controversy. However, she used the platform to share her strong views about influencers who promoted the programme without doing proper research.

The medical student argued that influencers cannot claim they didn't know about the problems with Alabuga Start, saying it only takes one simple Google search to find human trafficking allegations against the programme. She believes they knew about the risks but chose to promote it anyway for financial gain.

Mzansi reacts to student's stance

Social media users responded with mixed opinions about the student's comments and the broader situation.

@Lemo praised one influencer:

"Personally, in my opinion, I think Siya is the only influencer who knows her story and actually explains and takes accountability."

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@M suspected guilt:

"Sesi Cyan reposting this... It's giving feeling guilty vibes."

@Teboho_Moloi demanded action:

"Please investigate Alabuga."

@The_Ngubenis was frustrated:

"I don't think she listened to the whole video."

@Promise_Sphiwe criticised research methods:

"They all did their research on TikTok."

@Leesa was shocked by the responses:

"Someone said she didn't force anyone to go there, yooh I'm still shocked."

@tumi.mashoai agreed with accountability:

"True. Cos' no way you get an offer from a stranger & accept it immediately without background checking, especially if that someone is flying you across the country."

Alabuga Start programme faces serious allegations

According to the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, about 200 African women were recruited to work in a factory in Tatarstan’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone, where they joined Russian students in assembling drones intended for the war in Ukraine. Many of them only discovered the true nature of the job after arriving in Russia, since recruiters had told them they would be taking part in work-study programmes in industries like hospitality.

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Once inside the factory, the women described serious violations of their labour rights. They worked long hours under strict surveillance, earned less than what they had been promised, and struggled to leave the facility. Speaking openly to the media was discouraged, and they also endured unsafe working conditions, such as handling chemicals that caused skin injuries.

UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani warned that these practices may amount to human trafficking if the recruitment involved deception and the purpose was exploitation. Reports further revealed that the campaign targeted African women using social media ads and influencer promotions on platforms including TikTok, Facebook, and Telegram.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

3 Other Alabuga Start stories

• Briefly News recently reported how the South African government issued an official warning to young women after a controversial Russian programme advertisement went viral, but their specific mention of one influencer had social media buzzing.
• A Deputy Minister took decisive action against influencers promoting Russian employment opportunities, submitting a list of names to authorities that had everyone wondering who would face consequences.
• A 19-year-old woman shared actual screenshots of her conversations with Alabuga Start recruiters, but what the messages revealed about their tactics left social media users deeply concerned.

Source: Briefly News