The United Kingdom has imposed a new round of sanctions on 35 individuals and entities linked to a transnational trafficking network accused of luring vulnerable Nigerians and other migrants into Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
Announced on Wednesday, the sanctions target recruiters, traffickers, and drone suppliers who allegedly deceive migrants from countries including Nigeria, Egypt, Iraq, and Ivory Coast with false promises of jobs, education, or better opportunities abroad. Many of these individuals are reportedly forced into combat roles with minimal or no military training, or compelled to work in Russian drone production facilities supporting Moscow’s military campaign.
A central element of the network is the Alabuga Start programme, which has been linked to recruiting foreigners for drone manufacturing tied to Russia’s intensified aerial attacks on Ukraine. British officials also sanctioned individuals and companies, including Russian drone manufacturer Pavel Nikitin, as well as suppliers from China and Thailand providing components for Russia’s growing drone fleet.
UK officials described the scheme as “brutal exploitation,” noting that Russia has significantly ramped up its drone operations, launching over 200 drones per day in March 2026 — the highest rate since the start of the war.
Polina Alexandrovna Azarnykh was highlighted as a key figure in coordinating the movement of foreign recruits into Russia. The British Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria, Gill Lever, warned that economic vulnerabilities are being exploited by traffickers targeting Nigerians.
The sanctions were enacted under the UK’s Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons sanctions regime. Nigerian authorities had previously issued warnings to citizens about suspicious job offers linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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