Russia is recruiting North Korean workers to manufacture drones used in the war against Ukraine by bringing them into the country on student visas.

Axar.az informs, citing Ukrainska Pravda, up to 25,000 North Korean workers are currently employed in drone production at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Russia's Tatarstan, according to a report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT).

On average, a North Korean worker earns around US$7,500 a year in Russia, although almost all of this income is seized for the benefit of the North Korean regime.

Over recent years, Russia and North Korea have built up an extensive system combining state-level sanctions evasion with corrupt practices. For example, instead of work permits, Russia uses student and tourist visas to bring in North Koreans. In 2025, almost all North Korean workers entered Russia on student visas, posing as international students.

According to the report, intermediaries from third countries may also be involved in recruiting and dispatching North Korean workers to Russia. At least one such case is known to have occurred in Belarus.