A Russian recruiter sanctioned by the United Kingdom for luring women across the world into working in Kremlin-run drone factories has been linked to Telegram channels promoting child s^xual abuse. According to a Daily Mail report, an account on Telegram linked to Konstantin Trifonov, a 31-year-old senior HR executive for Alabuga Start, was found to have been a part of several disturbing channels. The Alabuga Start programme, based in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tatarstan, promises young women from impoverished nations in Africa and Asia attractive salaries, as well as education and career opportunities in Russia. The UK sanctioned individuals, including Trifonov, linked to the programme in May, accusing recruiters of deception. According to the UK, the migrants, upon recruitment, were either sent to the frontlines as cannon fodder or put to work in weapons factories. However, the Daily Mail report said Trifonov has been a member of several concerning channels, with titles including ‘School 69/Young Girls’ and ‘Kindergarten Cookie’. He was reportedly first spotted in these groups in August 2020. A Telegram analysis tool showed that Trifonov’s account was classified as having an ‘enthusiastic’ engagement with subjects including ‘child porn’ and ‘porn’, the report said. THE ALABUGA START PROGRAMME Publicly available photographs show Trifonov travelling to Uganda, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia as part of Alabuga Start’s recruitment campaign, meeting officials, visiting schools and educational institutions, and encouraging young women to relocate to Russia. During these visits, he presents the programme as an educational and professional development initiative. He also reportedly meets representatives from governments, both in Russia and overseas, to develop relationships and advance recruitment partnerships, and has met Congolese, Dominican, and Kenyan officials in Russia. The ‘Alabuga Start’ programme was set up in 2023 for foreign students who want to relocate to Russia. The relocation programme, according to its website, is designed for “ambitious girls between 18-22 years”. It promises job opportunities, scholarships, fully funded training, Russian language courses, accommodation, paid flights to Russia, and health insurances. In some adverts, candidates were promised a salary of $700 per month. Admissions are restricted to citizens of 85 mostly Asian and African countries — including Nigeria. The organisation has long been accused of abusing young women and former recruits have repeatedly described Alabuga as an “unsafe” work environment, alleging gruelling shifts, isolation, racism, and s^xual abuse. Daily Mail said it has seen screenshots of a text from a man from the city of Chelny, close to Alabuga, explaining how he ordered a black prostitute to his apartment. She had reportedly been forced into commercial s^x work after being fired from Alabuga. Further investigation revealed screenshots of prostitution services offered by African women in Alabuga itself. Russia has denied pretentiously recruiting Africans as soldiers to fight in the Ukraine war.