Up to 25,000 North Koreans in Russia build Shahed drones under student cover

North Korean workers are being employed in Russia to manufacture drones for the country's conflict in Ukraine, according to a report by Bloomberg and the United States and its allies. An estimated 25,000 North Koreans work in the drone industry, with some involved in the production of Shahed drones in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone.

North Korean workers abroad earned up to $800 million for the regime of Kim Jong Un in 2022, providing crucial income for the North Korean government. The collaboration between Russia and North Korea extends beyond weapons and troop support, with the Kremlin utilizing North Korean labor in various industries to bolster their war efforts in Ukraine while Kim Jong Un's regime gains foreign currency and funding for its nuclear and missile programs.

The arrangement circumvents international sanctions, with North Koreans often posing as students under a visa program to avoid detection. The average annual income for these workers is reported to be $7,500, but analysts suggest that the regime often takes a larger share of the earnings. Additionally, between 15,000 and 30,000 North Koreans were working in Russia as of the end of 2022.

Germany's Bild reported in mid-September that the drone manufacturing plant in Alabuga has expanded to cover over 1,000 hectares, with Russia building new facilities, warehouses, and transportation infrastructure in the region. Russia has been actively recruiting young workers from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories in Alabuga since August.